While All Was Still
by LoveConquers
Summary: A new mission brings Brennan and Shalimar back undercover as newlyweds…if only it was with each other. Sequel to House of Dreams. BS Complete!
1. Default Chapter

While All Was Still

Summary:  A new mission brings Brennan and Shalimar back undercover as newlyweds…if only it was with each other.  A sequel to "House of Dreams."  Bren/Shal. 

Gender: Action/Romance

Disclaimer: Not mine!  Mutant X belongs to Tribune and Marvel.

Rating: PG

A/N: While it is not necessary to read "House of Dreams" prior to this one, I would sure appreciate it if you did!  There will be slight references here and there to "House of Dreams" throughout the story, but you would be able to follow along just fine even without having read it.  This first chapter is more of an epilogue.  Please let me know what you think!  Thank you!!  

While All Was Still—Chapter One

Shalimar paced back and forth in agitation, her footfalls quiet in the stillness of the night.  It was a perfect evening, and yet she could not shake the disquiet feeling that haunted her and kept her awake.  She paused in her pacing and cocked her head, taking stock of the night.  The steady beeping of computers continually on watch echoed softly in the air and mingled with the distant hum of the scattered appliances and clicking of the furnace as it kicked into action.  She flashed yellow eyes into the soft darkness and further heard the slow, deep rise and fall of three bodies breathing in sleep.  Comforted by the customary sounds of sanctuary, her eyes slid back to normal, and she resumed her random stroll through the halls.  A while later she found herself staring into the pond, each trickling drop of water that splashed from the fountain mesmerizing her, heightening her uneasiness.  

"Out hunting again?"  Brennan's voice murmured from the shadows where he leaned against the wall, arms crossed as he watched her.  

Shalimar forced herself to turn away from the water and smiled softly as Brennan approached her, attempting to read her mood. 

"Relax, I'm just wandering around," she chuckled at his relieved expression, knowing his dislike of her nightly prowls.  

He grinned and lightly kissed her forehead as he came to a stop in front of her.  

"Hey," he greeted softly.  

'Hi," she returned his kiss, seeking comfort in his familiarity.  

Brennan sensed her uneasiness and rubbed his hands up and down her arms.  

"Shal, you're freezing, come back to bed," he gently coaxed.  She said nothing, but only snuggled further into his embrace, desperate to shake her apprehension.  

He welcomed her hug, but pulled back and cupped her cheeks, concerned as she shivered slightly.

"Shal, what's wrong?"  

She shook her head, slightly smiling.  "It's nothing.  I just have this strange feeling, like something is about to happen."

His thumb gently stroked her cheeks in a soothing caress.  "Do you want to talk about it?"  

She shook her head, "No, no I'm fine."  She pulled his hands down away from her face and clasping her fingers into his, tugging him gently forward, back to his room.  "What are we doing out here anyway, it's freezing." She flashed him a smile over her shoulder as she led him through the doorway.   Brennan just laughed and rolled his eyes, wrapping his arms around her and pushing her forward onto the bed, tumbling into it behind her. Their laughter rolled softly through the air before settling back into the conversant hush of sanctuary at night.  

Shalimar woke up early the next morning, aware of Brennan still sleeping beside her, the warmth of his bare thigh touching her own, the even rise and fall of his chest disturbing the blankets.  She was aware of him, and smiled in delight that she finally lay beside him, waiting in the cold dawn of morning for him to wake.  He slept with his cheek turned towards her, pressed into the pillow, left arm flung over his head.  She watched his face, the way his eyes twitched even in sleep, the dusty stubble of beard, the sleek line of his nose.  He was hers.  She sighed and slid deeper under the comforter, smiling triumphantly.  Despite the obstacles, the endless flirting, the fears of ruined friendship, the scheming of Lexa, and poison ivy, and kidnappings, he was hers.  

"What do you see?"  He was awake, watching her, both arms clasped behind his head.  "You were smiling, what did you see?" 

She felt the bed move, and then he was leaning over her, looking down.  Lifting her hand behind his neck and bringing his mouth down to hers, she murmured, "I was seeing us being together despite the odds."  

He chuckled; she could feel it deep in his chest.  "Oh Shal," he whispered tenderly.  "How I love you."  

She clung to him, her face pressed tight to his shoulder, smelling the sweet scent of his skin.  With a groan, he cupped her face in his hands, running his fingers over her eyes and cheeks.  She smiled up as him as he caught her hair behind her neck and lifted it clear so he could kiss behind her ears.  "I wanted to do this for so long," he huskily whispered.  

"No one's stopping you now," she careened her neck to give him better access when he stopped and pulled back, staring tenderly at her.  "Kiss me," she scolded impatiently.  The room spun around, tipping, sliding away from her.  He whispered things as he kissed tiny trails all over her face, but she only felt his warm breath.  It was just them, and she tuned the rest of the world out.  Simultaneously, both their comlink rings went off, but she shrugged the sound away.  Her eyes flew open when Brennan started to roll away, and she threw her arms around his neck, bringing him back down to her.

"Ignore it," she demanded.

"Shal," he teased, "We can't stay in bed all day."  

She pulled back to see his eyes.  "Brennan."  

Her face was so intense, so full of love for him.  His eyes flickered and deepened.  "I changed my mind," he breathed, reaching for her.  She laughed and rolled away, but he caught her wrist just as she was about to toss a plump pillow at him.  The sheets tangled and twisted as they wrestled in the cold, giggling and fighting for control.  Their rings chimed again, but went unheard.  They continued their play, and then she was pinned to the mattress, her arms held flat against the sheet.  "You're beautiful," he enthused, ducking his head to hers, and it took her breath away.  She clasped her hands behind his neck, and he sank into her arms.  

"I love you," she whispered, "My heart is so full—"

_"Hey, Brennan!"___

Brennan jerked up as the door suddenly flew open.  Shalimar screamed and dove for the tangled sheets, clutching frantically, missing, hearing a tear somewhere.  Brennan threw her a blanket, and she pulled it quickly over herself, cheeks flaming red.  Lexa stood in the doorway, and behind her stood Jesse, mouth gaping open.  


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: See chapter one

A/N:  Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to review—it totally made my day!!   The first chapter was more of an epilogue, and this chapter kind of sets everything up, so sorry it's kind of slow.  The mission will finally truly begin in the next chapter.  (By the way, for those wondering about my summary, please bear with me!  I love Bren and Shal and would never split them up…I just like to torture them a little bit every once in a while!!)   Thank you again for your reviews, please keep on letting me know what you think or if you have any suggestions!!

While All Was Still—Chapter Two

Shalimar fumed as she stormed around Brennan's room, hands waving wild in the air, only pausing to throw open an occasional drawer and dig through it.  Amused, Brennan leaned back against the pillows on the bed and watched her roam the room.  

"She did that on purpose," she accused, yanking another drawer open and rummaging around for a moment before slamming it shut.  She turned around and leaned against the dresser, arms crossed as she raised her eyebrows, waiting expectantly.

"Well," she tapped her foot impatiently, wanting him to agree.

Brennan smiled patiently.  "Shal," he attempted to reason with her, "Calm down, ok.  I hardly think they planned that little moment."  

Shalimar took a deep breath, silently counting the steady dripping of the bathroom faucet as she narrowed her eyes at the man calmly splayed out in front of her.  

"They did try to page us," he reminded, refusing to be intimated by her moodiness.  

She stared back at him in stony silence.  _Drip.__  Drip.  Drip.  She glared at him for a moment longer before stomping into the bathroom and twisting the faucet handle tight to silence the annoying offender.  She marched back out and threw open another drawer, looking through it and sighing in frustration as she closed it with a sharp bang.  Her back to Brennan, she waved a single hand into the air, even as she continued her foraging through his drawers.  ___

"She didn't even knock.  I swear that woman is not normal, Brennan," she moved on to another tall, skinny dresser in the corner of the room.  "What kind of person just barges into another's bedroom at 6am without knocking?  She goes out of her way to humiliate us."  

Brennan just shook his head, watching her movements, trying to figure out what had her searching so intently.  

"I don't think we should let her get away with it," she continued her ranting, bending down to check the bottom drawer.  "Argh!" she groaned in frustrated anger, slamming the drawer shut and turning toward Brennan with an accusatory look.  "And where the hell are all my clothes?"  

Brennan had to laugh even as he pushed himself to his feet and finally approached the whirlwind that was Shalimar.  "Shal," he reached out and stilled her flailing hands, "You're looking through the wrong drawers."

"_What?" she finally paused her searching long enough to stop and stare at Brennan.  _

With raised brows, he gestured around the space in a gentle reminder.  "We're in my room."  

"Oh."

Jesse leaned his face into his hands and groaned, trying to scrub his mind of the picture burning so delectably before his eyes.  Though Shalimar was closer than family, the flash of creamy skin had shocked him silly and reinforced the notion that it had been way too long since he had been with a woman.  "I need to get out more," he muttered, mentally chasing the unseemly image away and turning his focus back to the reason for their interruption in the first place; a new mission.  Shalimar was not going to be happy, he mused, biting his lip.  Behind him, Lexa smirked.  

"I can read you from here, Jess," she called over her shoulder, keeping her eyes trained on the flashing messages before her.  Her contacts were sending her an updated visual feed, and she was taking notes.  

"Maybe we could go instead—" he countered, turning on his chair to study her back. 

"You offering to marry me?" she flashed him a suggestive smile.  "Sorry, but no, unfortunately, that won't work.  The target already knows me, and I need your expertise here."  

Jesse sighed heavily, "Might as well be married to this girl," he complained, thumb pointing over his shoulder to indicate the computer terminal.  With a shuddering groan, the hard drive grinded to a stop, the screen suddenly blacking out.  Lexa had to smile as Jesse rolled his eyes. "Even she doesn't want me," he bemoaned.  Lexa's laugh reverberated through the lab.

The hair crawled up along her neck as the faint laughter rose to Shalimar's ears.  Her eyes fell into little slits as she growled low in her throat; convinced she was the reason for the sound.  She paused in the hallway outside the lab, leaning her head against the cool wall as the unease from the previous night churned again in her stomach.  Closing her eyes, she allowed her senses to take over as she raised a hand and stroked it slowly over the wall, seeking and finding the almost imperceptible ridge of sanded spackle smoothed over by a coat of fresh white paint.  Lips curved upward as fingers slowly traced the circular outline.  Time slowed as she took a breath; she loved feeling this memory.  

Brennan smiled as he saw her caressing the wall, finding the seemingly invisible evidence of his one-handed spackling job.  His quiet chuckle brought her to attention, and she quirked a finger, beckoning him closer.  He came up behind her, leaning his lithe body into her slender back and raising both hands to run along her shoulders, down to her elbows and back up to her wrists.  She captured his hands and intertwined their fingers, bringing one arm down to wrap around her waist, and the other back to the wall.  She gently ran his fingers over the tiny ridge in the wall, secretly smiling when she felt his breath catch in his throat.  

"I like to remember," she whispered, turning in his grasp and sliding into his arms.  He tangled his hands in her hair and met her seeking lips.  

"What's taking them so long?" Lexa groused as she paced around the lab.  She had finished her notes a while ago, and was getting impatient, waiting for Brennan and Shalimar to join them in the lab.  

Jesse shrugged, "Well, you did, ah, interrupt them this morning," he sarcastically reminded.  

She reached out and smacked the back of his head as she paced by him.  

"Hey!" he protested, one hand rising to his head while the other continued to work on the balking system.  "Come on baby," he cajoled under his breath, purposely ignoring the hiss of laughter behind him.  Long strands of black hair tickled his ears as Lexa peered over his shoulder to stare at the monitor.  His fingers stopped flying over the keyboard.

"Do you mind?" he exasperated.  

"Not at all," she smoothly countered, not moving, eyes darting back and forth.  "Here," she reached out a slender finger and pressed a single button.  

"That's not going to—oh," Jesse paused mid-sentence as the computer chirped to life.  She patted him condescendingly on the top of the head as he stared slack-jawed at the screen.

"Traitor," he mumbled to the computer as Lexa glided away.  

"I'm going to go find them," she hollered over her shoulder as she walked through the doorway of the lab, stopping in disbelief just outside the lab.  "Oh brother."  

Brennan and Shalimar were wrapped up in each other's arms, lost to their moment.  

She loudly cleared her throat, purposely staring until they broke apart and turned to glare at her.

"Enjoy it while you can," she cryptically warned, turning back into the lab.   

They trailed after her.  

"There you are," Jesse cheerfully interrupted, unaware that Brennan's look was the only thing holding Shalimar back from pouncing on Lexa.  He whirled back to his computer, bringing up a picture of a large cruise ship and splicing in another picture of a very attractive redhead.  

"Interesting," Brennan commented, automatically catching Shalimar's approaching smack without even looking.  Her eyes widened in surprise, and then she chuckled and instead lightly pinched his rear end as she passed him on the way to the terminal, ignoring his protesting squeal with a smile.  

"What's up, Jess," she leaned on the back of his chair.  

"Meet your competition," he waved at the redhead.  

"I take it she's our next case," Brennan inquired, casually sitting on the edge of one of the lab beds.  

"What do we do?" Shalimar added, eyes gleaming in excitement at the idea of a new mission.  

Jesse turned to look at her, face sobering a bit.  "You may not like this one so much, Shal," he gently warned.  

"Then we won't do it," Brennan piped in from across the room.  

"Not an option," Lexa spoke up for the first time, walking from the lab entrance to stand next to Shalimar and handing her a folder.  

Shalimar read the folder silently for a moment before glancing up at the others.  "We'll do it."  

"Care to fill me in?" Brennan pushed himself off the lab bed and approached Shalimar, hand held out for the folder.

"A cruise?" he voiced in surprise, skimming the information.

"A Caribbean cruise with lots of beautiful women," Jesse sighed, staring longingly at the cruise ship on the screen.  The computer let out a long grind as if to reprimand him.

"Your mission," Lexa interrupted him, "Is to go on a week long cruise, meet one Laura Wellington, and get her to fall in love with you."  

Brennan's brows shot up.  _"What?"_  

"Looks like I get to be your sister," Shalimar dryly commented reading further from the folder that had slipped from Brennan's limp fingers.  

"What's the purpose of all this?" Brennan shook his head in confusion.  

Lexa smiled briefly.  "Laura Wellington is a telekinetic; she can move and control objections, but fortunately for us, can't read minds or sense emotions.  According to my contacts, she has been targeted by a renegade group that fondly call themselves 'Avenger Di Notte'."

"Night Avenger," Jesse murmured, "lovely group.  They believe it's their mission in life to rid the world of mutants."

Brennan snorted sarcastically, "What, another one?"  

"She's refusing protection, so it will have to be subtle," Lexa continued.  

"That's where you come in, Brennan," Jesse took over.  "She's going on this cruise for a reason—to have fun, to meet someone."  

Brennan doubtfully shook his head, not convinced.

Look guys," Lexa resumed control, "I know you've dealt with vigilante groups before, but Laura is also important to me personally.  She, ah, she is connected to someone--someone I once lost."  She looked down at the floor.

"We'll do it," Shalimar repeated her earlier statement, turning to Brennan to stop his protest.  She placed both hands on his chest.  "Bren, it's only a week, and I can handle this."  She smiled at him mischievously, "Besides it's the Caribbean, how can we refuse?  I'm dying for some warm sun right now."  She waggled her eyebrows at him.  

He studied her for a long moment, before breaking out in a small smile of his own.  "Alright."

"I've got to pack," Shalimar enthused, heading for the door.  

"You don't have to be so excited," Brennan grumped as he followed behind her.  

"We can still be together at night," She reasoned, eyes twinkling up at him, "It'll be romantic."

"Actually, Shal," Lexa piped up, "There is one other thing we haven't told you yet."  

Jesse grimaced and braced himself for the next news to hit.  

Shalimar caught his movements out of the corner of her eye and felt the tension in Brennan's hand on the small of her back as they turned back toward Lexa in inquiry.  Her stomach dropped in sudden anxiety.

Lexa fiddled for a moment under their stare before raising her chin and meeting their gaze head on.  "This is not just any cruise; it's a 'Singles to Honeymoon' cruise.  There is a ceremony the last night aboard ship," Her voice wavered as she noticed Shalimar's sudden look of understanding.  "Which means that besides getting Laura to fall in love with you," she paused and pointed to Brennan, "at the end of the cruise—"

Shalimar's whispered voice cut her off as she turned stricken eyes on Brennan.  "You're supposed to get married."  


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer—see Chapter one 

A/N: Thank you all so much for your encouraging words!  I appreciate your reviews so much!!!!!  I've got eight chapters outlined so far, so hope to post every 3-4 days or so.  Not quite sure how long this one will be yet.  I hope you enjoy!  And now, the mission finally begins!

While All Was Still—Chapter Three

Shalimar stared up in awe.  Never had she seen a ship so large.  The sleek, white lines rose high into the sky, a seemingly endless tower that blocked the sun, and she squinted, trying to take in the row upon row of tiny portals.  Water splashed in light waves against the hull in a lulling, steady beat, and light mist steamed up, sprinkling tiny drops over them.  She blinked the dew out of her lashes and turned astonished eyes upon Brennan.  He was donned in the customary khaki resort wear, and she smirked at how out of place he looked.  Linking her arm through his, she raised herself up on tiptoe, whispering in his ear.  

"Can you believe this thing?" 

He eyed her bare shoulders with delight.  "Sorry, I'm a bit distracted by a different view."   His wide mouth broke into a grin as he dropped a warm kiss on her shoulder.  

"Ah-uh," she reprimanded, nudging him in the side, "I'm supposed to be your sister right now."  

Brennan's lips pushed out in a generous pout.  "So we're a close family," he shrugged, eyes unashamedly roving up and down.

"Stop!" she shook her head, loving the desire in his eyes, but edging him away.  "Now get going," She pushed him up the ramp, following behind him and grinning, admiring a new view in her sights.

Brennan sank onto the tiny bed and swallowed.  For such a large ship, the rooms were miniscule, leaving him feeling claustrophobic already.  He tugged uncomfortably at the stiff collar of the polo shirt Jesse had insisted he wear to blend in and rose to peer out the portal window.  A slight ray of sun shone through, and he could see hints of San Juan's stone buildings in the backdrop.  It only took five steps to cross over to the other side of the room to the door adjoining his room to Shalimar's.   Rapping once, he swung the door open and stopped in astonishment as a bikini-clad Shalimar was revealed before his bulging eyes.  

"You can close your mouth now," she teased as she daintily twisted around to apply sunscreen on her back.  Brennan snapped his jaw shut and chuckled as he approached her, tugging the sunscreen out of her hand.  He squirted a generous amount into his hands and cupped her shoulders with a gentle squeeze.  Shalimar's eyes dropped shut, and she breathed deep, the scent of coconut oil filling her senses as warm hands massaged her shoulders and back. 

"I thought I should get right to work," Shalimar explained with a smile.  Her part of the mission was to maintain vigil on the Avenger Di Notte rogue thought to be posing as a crew member.  "Just my luck he happens to be a lifeguard."

"Yeah, well, you'll have no problem getting his attention in this thing," Brennan muttered.  

Shalimar pulled away and swung around with a pointed look.  "I'm not the one getting married here."

Brennan's arms crossed in self-defense.  "I'm not getting married, not really.  Stop saying that."  

They stared at one another for a few moments before mutually backing down.  

"I hate this case already," Brennan groused, lightly fingering the strap of her swimsuit, lost in thought.

She smiled as she raised her arms around his neck, trying to cajole him out of his bad mood.  "You do know that it's only for a week, Brennan, that we'll be back home in the cold before you know it?" 

"I'm not feeling the warmth here, Shal," Brennan petulantly complained.  

"_Brennan," Shalimar had to laugh, planting a quick kiss on his lips.  "I think you'll survive."  She pulled away and took the few steps to cross the room to the dresser.  Opening a drawer, she chose a baggy t-shirt and dropped it over her head.  "We've got a required fire drill and then I want to try to be on deck when we leave port.  I also want to scope out the ship so we can make contact with our targets first thing tomorrow."  She paused in front of the door, looking back at him.  "Let's go."  _

Brennan's lips quirked at her, "Ok, but I refuse to enjoy this."  

A few hours later, Brennan had to admit he was enjoying himself.  The mandatory fire drill was completed, and he and Shalimar had wandered the vast hallways, taking stock of the ship.  He now laid spread out in a cozy Adirondack chair on the upper deck of the ship, the sun warming his skin and a cool drink in his hand.  His smirked as he took a sip and twirled the little umbrella between his fingers, debating if he should call Jesse or not to report on his current position.  Calypso music rang gaily across the balmy breeze and the din of happy voices mingled in a pleasant hum in his ears.  The temptation was too much.  Lifting his hand, he called Jesse.

"Yeah," Jesse's voiced crackled across the connection, sounding exasperated.  

"Hey buddy!" he cheerfully greeted, "Thought you'd want to hear this."  He casually draped his hand over a nearby speaker for full effect.  

He laughed outright at the expletives fainting spewing from the ring and broke the connection.  Shalimar had been right; this was going to be an easy case, no reason not to enjoy the fringe benefits.  He snapped his fingers, indicating his need for another drink.  Magically, one appeared before him, and he sighed in contentment.  A shadow fell across his face, blocking the sun.  One eye squinted open, and he smiled lazily as he recognized Shalimar's form.  She plopped into the chair beside him.  

"Glad to see you held firm in your resolve," she teased, squirting more lotion into her palms and spreading it over her legs.  After a moment, she stood gracefully back up and slowly, theatrically, raised the baggy t-shirt over her head, revealing her small curvy figure to perfect advantage.  "I'm off to work," she threw back at Brennan as she strolled past a row of gawking men to the pool.  The deck was full of beautiful woman, but Shalimar exuded sensuality in a unique, striking way, and she knew it.  Her confidence steps took her right past her target lifeguard, and she flashed him an intoxicating smile as she passed.  

Brennan's heart throbbed as under lowered lids, he watched her hips sway; his fingers tightening involuntarily on his drink.  "Damn," he whispered, aroused just by her walk. 

Posing for just a second on the edge of the pool, she scanned the crowd to make sure she was being watched.  The sun glinted gold off natural highlights as silky strands danced wild in the breeze, flowing in an arching mane as toned muscles tensed and corded and stretched into a streamlined vision before disappearing under the water.   The silence below water was a shock to her senses as she swam with powerful strokes.  Surfacing on the other side of the pool, she swam to the ladder and lithely pulled herself out, knowing the exact moment to pause so as to allow the water to stream down her heaving curves.  Her bathing suit clung to her figure as she bent down to pick up a towel from the gaping towel boy and raised it to her dripping hair.  She stole a smile as her face disappeared behind the cover of the towel before lowering it to meet the lifeguard she already knew was there.

Across the deck, Brennan glowered at the scene and shook his head, remembering his words from long ago, "Dramatic streak, indeed." 

Just as the sun was beginning to set, painting a blazing glory of pinks and oranges across the horizon, the ship gave a great shudder as engines roared to life.  One minute they were docked, and the next they were slowly pulling away from port.  The lights of San Juan winked and glimmered as they grew smaller and smaller.  The view was beautiful, and Brennan leaned against the outer railing, studying the murky water below.  It fit his mood, dark and brooding amidst the sparkling beauty around it.  He had yet to make contact with his target, and he found himself already dreading it.  He knew it would not be easy to pretend to fall in love while the true love of his life was near.  If only he and Shalimar were here for real, and not undercover, it would be the perfect getaway.  He didn't know how he was going to spend an entire week with another woman.

A rustle to his left broke his reverie as a waft of flowery perfume struck his nostrils; he clenched his fingers tighter to the rail. 

"Hello," A soft, husky voice melodiously echoed in his ear.  An impossibly tiny hand rested on top of his, skin warm and soft.  Brennan's eyes trailed from the slender hand and up a bare, shapely arm to a startlingly exotic face.  He stared in shocked surprise; Laura.

Shalimar lightly ran her fingers along the outer railing as she circled the deck in search of Brennan.  The lifeguard had been easy to manipulate.  She was already meeting him for breakfast in the morning.  A smug grin graced her face as she reflected on her strange uneasiness from the previous night.  Everything was going exactly as planned; they had nothing to worry about.  If only every case was this easy, she mused to herself, eyes scanning across the deck.  The crowd was thinning as the evening drew on, and she found herself a solitary figure at the head of the ship.  She allowed her eyes to turn into golden slits as she raised her nose slightly in the air, breathing in.  She caught a whiff of Brennan's spicy scent and her pulse quickened.  She missed him already.  Following the scent, she veered to the right.  

The breeze had picked up slightly and waves crashed against the hull, drowning out the buzz of the ship.  Just as she turned a corner, a massive gust blew overhead, whipping the bottom edge of her t-shirt up around her head. She laughed and tugged it back down; quickly realizing that the winds had changed into a hardy gale and both hands were required to hold the shirt in place.  She ran ahead, loving the pull of wind against her body.  A few lighthearted steps suddenly staggered and died to a stop as two figures materialized in the dark in front of her.  

A tall man had both arms wrapped around a petite woman in front of him, both giggling as they fought the direction of the wind, passing right by as if she were invisible.  Eyes wide, she turned back around and stared at the retreating figures.  White teeth flashed in the moonlight as their faces tipped towards the other and the man swept the woman up into his arms.  Tiny hands nestled on strong shoulders and dark red curls streamed through the air, the last visible thing as they melted back into the night.  

A seagull screamed and a backwash of water slammed the ship, spraying a cold mist over her shivering form.  He hadn't even noticed her.   


	4. Chapter Four

Disclaimer—see Chapter One

A/N: Thank you again to those that reviewed—it means so much to me to get feedback as I spend so much time on these things…!  So thank you so much, I appreciate all of you more than you can know!!  Here's a bit of angst for you now…I promise it won't last too long!  

While All Was Still—Chapter Four

Shalimar restlessly stirred under the sticky cotton sheets that had felt so cool when she first slipped into them.  She drew a shallow breath, choking on the stifling heat that clogged the air with dampness.  She refused to admit it to herself, but she was waiting.  Brennan hadn't come back yet.  _Go.  Go.  Go._  The giant clock on the wall whispered to her with every measured tick of its sweeping second hand, reverberating incessantly in her ears.  Sighing, she flung the sheet off her heated body and kicked her legs in frustration, wanting to rip the hand off the uncaring clock and still its mocking echoes.  She sat up, intent on going to find him, but then forced herself back down.  He would come back, he had to eventually.  She just had to wait.  Two hours later, she sat back up again and got as far as putting her shoes on before again, groaning, removed them, and lay back down.  She stared at the ceiling, drumming her fingers on either side of her; waiting.  An hour later, she had finally drifted off to sleep, when motion on the other side of the wall drew her fully awake.  Her heart pounded as she finally heard him.  Now he would come to her.  She waited and listened as he moaned and stretched, working out invisible knots somewhere.  A few push-ups, a quick shower; she waited.  Sheets rustled as he slid into them and sighed, and still, she waited.  

The call of a lone seagull sweeping by her window jerked her upright, and she looked around in dazed confusion.  Sunlight streamed in through the window, and she realized day had come without her realization.  She was in bed alone.  She cocked her head to the side and heard Brennan's faint breathing through the wall.  He had finally returned, but he had not come to her.  Angry, she threw the covers off and paced the room.  She felt nervous, restless.  Deciding she needed to get out of the suffocating room, she threw on sweats and a tank top and made her way to the upper deck's running track.  The morning was early and the ship offered a cooling breeze that immediately refreshed her.  The track was empty, and she ran in peace.  An hour later, she paused and rested her hands on her knees, drawing deep breaths to calm her racing heart.  The track was filling fast, so she decided to head back to her room and shower.  She hesitated at her door for a moment, wiping the sweat from her brow and thinking.  She paused a moment more before taking the few more steps to Brennan's door.  She laid her ear against the door and listened.  Hearing nothing, she pried the door open and peeked through; the room was empty.  He was gone again.  She slammed the door shut and marched back to her own room.  

David's eyes lit up when he saw the blonde beauty he met yesterday approach.  He was here on a mission, but couldn't see the harm in having a little fun on the side. 

Shalimar saw her target sitting in the dining room, waiting for her.  He politely stood up as she came near and pulled her chair out for her.

"Good morning, David," she smiled at him, taking note of his avid interest.  Her heart felt bruised this morning, and she was glad for the distraction the man in front of her provided. 

He eagerly returned her smile.  "So how was your first night aboard ship?  No seasickness I hope?"

"No, no sickness, although I was a bit warm," she confessed, offering him an enticing shrug.  

"There is a thermostat in each room, perhaps it was set high," he suggested.  "I could come take a look at it for you."

'Oh, that's ok," she hastily declined, "I think I can figure it out."  She waved around the dining room.  "The ship is absolutely beautiful.  How long have you been working here?"

His hand waved dismissively in the air, "Oh a few years," he vaguely replied.

Shalimar took a sip of orange juice, almost choking when she saw Brennan and the woman from the night before enter the dining room and sit at a nearby table.  He nodded to her, before helping the woman she recognized as Laura sit and then take a seat himself.  Shalimar swept her eyes over Laura in a quick study.  The woman was beautiful--strikingly so.  Her picture had not done her justice.   She was a diminutive woman, with an impossibly small waist and delicate air.  She had rather exotic features with the largest violet eyes she had ever seen.  Thick lashes swept demurely down as she blushed at whatever comment Brennan made to her.  Dark auburn hair hung long down her back in large bouncy curls, framing tiny, shapely shoulders.  Shalimar forced her eyes away as Brennan gallantly lifted her hand to his lips.  She slammed her orange juice down on the table and turned determinedly back to David.  Two could play at this game.  She found him staring intently at the woman, hatred rolling off him in waves. She cleared her throat and his brows instantly smoothed back into pleasant lines as he turned to her.  

"Forgive me, I must get to my station now," he stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder.  "Meet me later at the pool?" he requested.

She smiled back up at him, "Of course."  When he disappeared from sight, her lips flattened into a straight line and she picked at her breakfast.  Across the table, she could see Brennan and Laura finishing their meal and then standing to leave.  She raised her glass to her lips again, but spit out a choking gasp when Brennan leaned down and gave Laura a gentle kiss on the lips.  Lukewarm juice ran down her white blouse, and she coughed loudly, fighting for breath.  Her eyes watered as her coughing grew more desperate; her fingers clenched the napkin in front of her.  Brennan whirled around and drew Laura over, kneeling down and lightly pounding on her back.

"Shal, are you ok?" he anxiously studied her face.  Finally she was able to draw a clear, shuddering breath, and she raised her napkin to her lips, humiliated as the beauty looked on with delicate concern. 

"I'm ok," she rasped out.  

Brennan watched her for a few more moments before nodding in relief.  He stood back up and held a hand out to the waiting woman, drawing her to his side.  

"Laura," he smiled down at her, "I'd like you to meet my sister, Shalimar."  

Shalimar dabbed at her ruined blouse in horrified embarrassment as she forced a dull smile to her lips.  "Nice—nice to meet you," she waved a flustered hand, now sticky with drying orange juice.  

Laura graciously smiled back and then turned to Brennan.  "I think I should like to go for a walk," she entreated him.  She turned back to Shalimar.  "Your brother has been keeping me very busy," she explained with a laugh.  

"Why don't you go on," Brennan clasped her hands, "I'll catch up with you in a little bit."  

"Alright," Laura graced him with a generous smile before turning and leaving.  

Brennan watched her leave before blowing out a breath and sinking down into the chair next to Shalimar.  

"Hey," he smiled at her, leaning in to kiss her, surprised when she jerked back.  "Shal?" he questioned in confusion.

"Don't 'Shal' me," she hissed, angrily standing up and stomping out of the dining room, suddenly wanting nothing more but to be alone.  Brennan sat and stared after her in shock for a moment before jumping to his feet and running after her, catching up with her in an empty middle deck.  Thunder rolled in the distance, announcing an approaching summer storm.  

"Shal, wait up," he grabbed her arm, pulling her to a stop.  "What's wrong?"

She wrenched her arm free and stared up at him in disbelief.  "The first time I see you since we leave port and you're kissing that—that woman," she flung her arm into the air, "And you have to ask me what's wrong?"

"What?"  Brennan grabbed both her arms and leaned towards her, eyes deep with intensity.  "Shal, you know I'm just playing a cover, same as you.  Why are you getting so mad?"

She glared back at him, not answering.  Thunder cracked again, and rain drops splattered down in large drops.  She knew he was right, but she still felt unbelievably angry.  

In desperation, Brennan wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, pulling back and cupping her cheeks, eyes pleading.  "Shal, I love you.  _You.  I kissed that woman because I had to, not because I wanted to." _

She snorted.  "If you even try to tell me you were thinking about me while kissing her, I'll hurt you," her eyes glittered back at him.  Rain pounded heavily around them. 

Brennan's brows shot up.  "Who me?" he tried teasing, smiling slipping when she still failed to respond.  He tenderly pushed a wet strand of her hair behind her ear.  "Actually, I was thinking about how bored I was," he tried again.  

She stood stiffly, eyes narrowed.  "Brennan, please, just leave me alone right now."  

"Shal, I—"

"Please."

His dark hair was plastered to his head in wet clumps as he stared at her.  Finally, he bit his lip and nodded, eyes showing his hurt.  Her heart wrenched in her chest, but she only wanted to be alone.  She needed time to think.  He slowly, painfully turned around, walking away.  

The deck was empty.  The rain blew in sweeping curves against the wind, pounding a steady beat on the metal railing.  The giant ship groaned as it gently rolled in the storm, and she clutched the slippery railing, struggling for footing, staring out at the churning gray waters.  Rain rolled down her face in great drops, pausing on the bridge of her nose before dripping down.  She was by herself as she had wanted.    


	5. Chapter Five

Disclaimer—see Chapter One

A/N:  Thank you so much to those of you that took the time to review—I don't know what I would do without you!!  This chapter has a bit of angst and a bit of love, I hope you enjoy it!!   Please let me know what you think—good or bad!  Thank you!!

While All Was Still—Chapter Five

Eyes swept across the dusty horizon, watching the distant flickering of the retreating storm.  Shalimar closed her eyes, resting her elbows on the slippery railing.  She had not left the deck during the entire storm, and now welcomed the first returning rays of sun streaking through departing clouds.  Brief, but strong, the storm had left her soaking wet, but yet she did not move.  She knew she had overreacted to Brennan, he was right; she was the one who had agreed to this mission in the first place.  And hadn't Brennan watched her at the pool yesterday with David?  So why then was she feeling this way?  She sighed heavily, turning her back to the railing and staring at the wet deck.  A slight movement to her left caught her attention, and she saw a flash of black wave against the rail.  Curious she moved down the rail and peered over the edge, seeing another flash of black whisk out and then disappear again from just beyond the bottom lip of the deck, out of her line of vision.  She stretched on her toes, but still couldn't reach, so with a furtive glance in both directions, she ignored ship policy and stepped on the lower rung of the metal railing and draped her body over the edge, trying to see what was just beyond the floor edge.  Toes stretched and arms reached, but still the object was beyond grasp.  The ship dipped slightly in the waves, and she suddenly clung to the rail as she felt herself slip.  Laughing shakily, she became aware of her precarious position, just as a ship alarm went off and strong arms snatched her from the edge.  Her body was flung off the rail and over a shoulder before she knew what was happening.  Bodies in uniform crowded around her and the blaring alarm rang in her ears; her head started to pound.  A second later she was lowered to the wet deck and Brennan's worried face swarm before her eyes.  

"Shal," he called, "Shalimar, talk to me.  Are you alright?"  He desperately cupped her cheeks, eyes wide with fear and alarm.  

Confused, she looked back at him.  "Brennan?  What's going on?"  She looked up, horrified to see crewmen hovering around Brennan, all watching her.  

"Shal, there was a report of a woman going overboard off the middle deck—blonde hair and white blouse.  I was terrified, I-I--" he voiced drained away.  "You're really alright?"

She saw the fear still real in his eyes and sensed the barely controlled panic beneath the surface of him and reached her hands up to rest over his.  "Brennan, I'm fine."  She smiled reassuredly, "I think that report was a bit exaggerated.  I wasn't falling."  

"Thank God," Brennan's eyes dropped shut and he wrapped both arms around her, clutching at her for long moments before pulling back and kissing her forehead and each eyelid with palpable relief.  Awareness came back slowly, and with it, remembrance of their cover.  Brennan looked up and grimaced at the crowd of crewmen around them.  He sheepishly shrugged and indicated to Shalimar as he helped her stand back up.

"She's my sister."

A short, bald crewman snickered and wrapped an exaggerated arm around the tall crewman next to him.  "Sure she is, and he's my mother."  

The two men laughed as the alarm was finally cut and the crowd drifted away.  Only one man remained behind to write a report.  Brennan removed his jacket and wrapped it around Shalimar as she gave her side of the story.  He saw her shiver and interrupted the man's severe lecture.

"If you'll excuse us, I think we'll get her into something dry now."  The man reluctantly nodded, and Brennan drew Shalimar away.  They were silent as they walked back to her cabin.  He closed the door and leaned against it, watching as she sank to the bed and wrapped both arms around herself, shivering.  

"Here," he gently sat next to her and pulled his wet jacket off her shoulders.  "You need to get out of these wet clothes."

She silently nodded and automatically raised her hands to her blouse, slowly unbuttoning it.  Rising, Brennan dug through her dresser, looking for something warm.  She had packed mostly summer wear, but he found a sweater at the bottom and pulled it out.  Their eyes met and then she raised her arms, so he could slide it down her body.  His hands caressed her, skimming under the sweater to stroke the cold skin of her back.  Goosebumps rose, and she shivered delectably at his touch.  

"Shalimar, when I thought you had gone overboard, I was scared," His voice broke, "I can't lose you, Shal."  

"Shh-h," she covered his lips with her fingers.  "No talking."  She caught his lips in a frantic, incessant kiss.  He felt her neediness and responded with a groan, lowering her to the bed and sinking on top of her.  Her arms stole around his neck, and she buried her nose in his shoulder.  He could feel the coldness of it through his shirt, reminding him of their earlier fight in the rain.

"Look at me."

"No," she dug in further with her nose.  He could feel her breath against his neck.

"Shal, please look at me."  He had to see her face, her eyes, touch her mouth with his.  

"No," her muffled voice came again.  

He sighed and stroked the back of her head.  His own thudding heart finally slowed as she also eventually relaxed and grew still.  His confusion from the morning had returned, but he forced himself to wait.  When her fingers softened, releasing him from their tight grip, he whispered, "Shal, can we please talk now?"  

She sighed heavily.  "Bren, I'm sorry, I don't know why I got so mad earlier."

He pulled back, "What?"  He hadn't expected that.

She raised her head from his shoulder, and lovingly he touched her face with the backs of his fingers, feeling the silkiness of her skin against his knuckles.  She leaned into his touch, kissing his fingers.  "It was silly, I knew it all along.  But I couldn't stop.  When I saw her, I just I-I…I felt unsure, and I'm not used to feeling that way."  She searched his face.  "Last night, you passed right by me, but you didn't see me.  And then I waited, but you didn't come.  And I don't know why I let that bother me, I don't why I feel this way." 

Gently he brought her face to meet his, and for a long time each tried to read the other's eyes.  Finally he kissed each of her eyes and she closed them under his lips, leaning close.  "I'm sorry," she whispered.  

"Shh-h," he whispered, as she tilted her head to accept his kisses.  "It's fine."  He brushed her hair from her cheek and smoothed her wrinkled brow with tender fingers.  The scent of salt and sea breeze was strong in her hair, and he rested his chin over the top of her head.   

"I did see you, Shal," he spoke at last.  "I saw your shirt blow up and you running like a carefree child in the wind."  He smiled against her hair.  "I wanted to run after you, to catch you, but Laura was there, and she was opening up to me, I couldn't break the moment.  I couldn't break her trust in me."  

She smiled, running her fingers along his chest.  "You have a trust-worthy face."  

"I don't know about that," he chuckled, "but she did seem to be drawn to me.  We spent a long time talking, and when I finally got away, it was so late, I didn't want to wake you."  

Shalimar's eyes dropped shut in embarrassed relief.  "As simple as that, huh?"

"Yeah," Brennan agreed, "As simple as that."

She squinted one eye open at him.  "Forgive a foolish woman?"

He laughed, hugging her tight.  "Always."

She dropped a kiss on his shoulder, arching up to reach his neck, and then ear.  She felt him shiver, and she rolled them over, resting on top of him.  His arms rose up to circle around her, rubbing up and down her back as she continued to rain tiny kisses over his face.  

"Just one other thing," Brennan whispered between kisses, "What in the world were you doing up on the railing anyway?"  

He felt her shoulders shake as she shook her head, laughing.  "Nothing!  I saw something blowing under the edge of the deck and was just trying to see what it was.  I was never falling."  

Brennan rolled his eyes.  "Whoever called in that alarm scared about five years off me." 

"Only five?" she quirked an eyebrow at him.  

He waggled his finger at him; she captured it and entangled their fingers together.  He grinned and rolled them over again, and right off the bed they fell with a large thump.  He shot up in shocked surprise.  

"Shal?  You ok?"  

"Yeah," she rubbed the back of her head.  "These beds leave a lot to be desired."   __

"Tell me about it," he held out a hand to help her up.  For the first time she got a good look at him and started to laugh.  His hair had dried in spiky clumps that stuck straight up all over his head_.  He looks like he shocked himself_, she thought in amusement.  Without a word he swung her around to the mirror hanging over the dresser, and the laughter died in her throat as she got a look at her own wild head of hair.  His image in the mirror smirked at her, and she nudged him with her elbow.  

'Hey," he protested with a smile as he strolled across the room to the tiny bathroom, poking his head in and turning on the shower.  Kicking his shoes off, he pulled his damp shirt over his head.  She waggled her brows at him and followed suit, pulling her sweater over her head and sliding up to him.  He caught her in a hug as she brought her hands up to stroke his muscled back before wandering down to unbuckle his pants.  He groaned at her touch and dropped his head to capture her lips.  Her stomach dropped, and she moved to deepen the kiss as they stumbled backwards towards the bathroom.  They landed with a thump against the front door instead, and he bent down to pick her up as she wrapped both legs around his waist.  Mist from the shower floated out the bathroom door and steamed the tiny room, coating them both with a fine sheen of sweat.  

His head banged against the back of the door as she pushed against him, threading both hands into his spiky hair, but he didn't even feel it.  The sound registered faintly in Shalimar's ears, but she was too driven to care.  She was drunk on the taste of him, drowning in sensory awareness.  Another faint banging finally broke through her haze, and she winced. "Sorry," she mumbled, seeking his lips again.  

"For what?" he murmured back, dropping down to nibble on her ear.  She arched her neck to allow him better access even as the sound came to her ears again.  Suddenly she tensed in awareness.

"Brenanan!" she hissed in horror.

"Humm," he continued his exploration, and she moaned in helpless arousal even as she tugged desperately on his shoulders.

"Brennan, Brennan, stop." She whimpered as the banging resumed again.

Her words registered in his mind a split second before the banging did, and he suddenly froze, eyes staring wide back at her.  Someone was knocking on the door.

She clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Y—Yes," she squeaked out.  She cleared her throat, trying again.  "Who's there?"  

"Shalimar?  It's David."

She turned panicked eyes on Brennan, "I forgot to meet him," she gasped in realization.

His eyes darted around the room looking for a hiding place even as she realized they had hardly any clothes on.  

"Shalimar?" David called through the door again.  "Is everything alright?"

"Uh, yeah," she yelled back, staring at Brennan, "I ah got caught in the rain, so was just about to take a shower."  She paused as Brennan tried to gesture something to her without dropping her.  She saw him pointing at his watch and understood.  "Yeah," she raised her voice again, "Can you give me a few minutes?"  Brennan frantically gestured again.  She hastily corrected herself, "Uh, an hour?"

"Sure."  After a tense moment his footsteps faded away, and they slid to the floor giggling.  

Footsteps were heard walking past Shalimar's door and then slowing down in front of Brennan's room.  A moment later a knock was heard through the wall.

"Brennan?"  A feminine voice inquired.  

Simultaneously, they groaned.  Not again.    


	6. Chapter Six

Disclaimer—see Chapter One

A/N:  Please let me know what you think of this chapter!!  I have to admit, I'm a bit discouraged right now as I seem to have lost half my audience this time around. L  Thank you so much to those of you that did take the time to review—I so much appreciate it!!  Thank you!!

While All Was Still—Chapter Six

Shalimar paused to glance in the mirror as she applied a quick coat of lipstick.  She and Brennan were due in the dining room in a few minutes for the formal supper, one of two during the week-long cruise.  Patting down her hair, she turned away, satisfied.  

"Hey, Shal," Jesse's voice rang over her comlink.  "How's it going?"

"Hey Jess," she greeted him back.  "Not much happening yet.  We've both made contact with our targets, so now we're shadowing them, watching for any kind of hit."  She waved Brennan in when she noticed him hovering in the adjoining doorway.  "Any news on your end?" she asked into her ring.

"Nah, not really," Jesse's bored voice carried through.  Brennan couldn't resist another jab.

"Hey, Jess," he joined in the conversation, "I don't know about you, but I'm about to go have supper with a table full of beautiful women.  What've you got planned for the evening?"  

There was the clunking sound of falling tools as Jesse growled in the background.  Brennan gloated at Shalimar as she rolled her eyes back at him; Men.  

"Hey Bren," Jesse called back, plopping fallen tools back on the table, "I never knew you had such a cute little mole on your—"

"Ok," Shalimar jumped in, clamping a hand over Brennan's mouth to silence him, "I think we've taken that one as far as we want to go."

Jesse laughed and cut the connection.  

"Now come on," Shalimar tugged on Brennan's hand, "We're going to be late."  She paused to lean in and give him a lingering kiss before yanking open the door.  

They wound their way through the luxurious corridors.  Just as Brennan turned a corner in front of her, he suddenly jerked to a halt and dunked back behind the corner.  

"Shal," he whispered, "It's Laura, and she's meeting with David!"   He pulled her to him and together they peered around the corner.  An intense conversation was obviously going on.  Laura was gesturing wildly with both hands, a nervous look on her pretty face.  She froze as David laughed loudly and flinched as he tucked a stray curl back behind her ear and then strolled away.  Laura straightened her shoulders and followed after him a moment later.  Shalimar excitedly jabbed Brennan repeatedly in the gut, until he finally grabbed her arm and stilled it.  As soon as Laura disappeared from sight she whirled around at him.

"What in the world was_ that about?"  _

"No clue," Brennan stared at her in confusion.  "I didn't think they knew each other.  Could you hear any part of their conversation?"

"Not really," Shalimar shook her head.  "You were breathing too hard."  Brennan smirked at her as he pulled her back down the hallway, continuing their way to the dining room.  

A few hours later found Brennan and Shalimar doing their best to ignore each other across the dining room table.  It was hard enough being at the same table pretending to only be brother and sister, but every time Laura placed a hand on Brennan, Shalimar would kick him from under the table.  Brennan didn't know how much longer his bruised shin could take it.  He picked miserably at his salad, trying to avoid Laura's touch to appease Shalimar, but not so much as to make Laura suspicious.   Laura smiled up at him appealingly and leaned towards him, offering a splendid view of her assets. 

"Are you not hungry?" she asked Brennan with concern.  Thump, another perfectly aimed kick glanced off his shin.  He winced and then attempted to smile at Laura and answer her question.  Thump, another kick landed.   

He glared at Shalimar, but she just smiled sweetly at him before turning back to David to answer his inquiry.  He turned back to Laura.

"So, do you know anyone on this trip?"  

"Just you," she coquettishly flirted, placing a hand on his arm and kissing his cheek.  Brennan's leg drew back just in time to feel the air of Shalimar's heel fly by.  He flashed her a quick smile of triumph.  

A slim arm lifted her napkin from her lap and dropped it to the floor.  "Oh oops," Shalimar batted her lashes, "excuse me."  She dunked under the table to retrieve it.  A second later Brennan heard her voice whispering through his comlink.  

"Brennan, can you hear me?"  

Brennan stiffened in surprise, trying to distract Laura and David from the fact that Shalimar had decided to disappear under the table.  "Oh look," he pointed across the dining room.  "Check out that ice sculpture."

Shalimar's voice echoed in his ears.  "Bren—there is something strange going on here.  We know that Laura and David somehow know each other, we saw them in the hallway, but yet she just lied about it."  

She suddenly popped back up, waving her napkin in the air.  "Found it," she gave a titillating laugh as she settled back into her chair.  David shot her a funny look, but politely refrained from commenting.   

"So, ah, Laura," Shalimar picked up the conversation.  "You came here knowing no one?  How very ah, brave, of you."  

Laura lifted a delicate hand to brush a wisp of hair away.  "I just wanted to meet someone special," she traced a finger up Brennan's arm in a possessive gesture.  

"Oh oops," Shalimar's napkin fell to the floor again.  "Oh, I'm so clumsy," she disappeared under the table again.  'Brennan," she hissed into the rings again, "I don't trust this woman.  She's supposed to be the victim, but what if she's connected to David?"

Brennan smiled awkwardly around the table as Shalimar's absence was being noticed.  He lifted his own napkin and dropped it down.  "Oh, excuse me."  He ducked under the table as well.  

"Shal," he hissed at her, "This is ridiculous, come back to the table." 

"But Bren," she whispered back.  "There's something wrong here."  

He shook his head at her.  "Shalimar, don't you think you're just overreacting?" He gestured to Laura's slim legs as he spoke, eyes lingering for a second as he couldn't help noticing how graceful they were.  Shalimar smacked him on the head, and they shared an exasperated look with each other, before Shalimar finally relented.  "Well, maybe, but I still think something's going on here."

Brennan gritted his teeth.  "Then let's get back up there and find out." 

"Fine," she snapped back.

"Fine," he gestured for her to move.  

Suddenly, a fork clattered next to Brennan's foot.  They froze and watched with bated breath as a slender hand appeared from under the table cloth.  Brennan leaned as far away as he could as the hand seemed to search for a moment before arching delicately.  Instantly, the fork trembled and then flew into the awaiting hand as it withdrew.  He blew out his breath in relief as Shalimar stifled a giggle.

Two heads popped back up from under the table.  "Found it," they both held up their napkins to the astonished looks of their table companions.  

After making arrangements to meet the following morning at the pool for ship's games, Brennan bid Laura goodnight with a quick kiss.  As she strolled away, he blew his breath out with relief and watched as Shalimar wrapped things up with David a bit further down the hall.  He frowned as David's hand rose to cup Shalimar's cheek; he would be glad when the week was over.  He knew it would be easier on himself if he didn't watch, but some sadistic part wouldn't give him that satisfaction, so he stared with narrowed eyes as Shalimar graced David with a smile that lit up her entire face and seemed to take his breath away.  He leaned down and kissed her; Brennan's fingers tightened into a ball.  Shalimar broke the kiss after a mere second, but David reached out and captured her head with both hands, kissing her again.  Shalimar didn't move for a beat, staying stiff and still, before reluctantly softening and placing her hands on his shoulders.  Brennan's eyes darted both ways before furtively lifting a finger and sending a tiny little bolt to David's foot.  He smiled in satisfaction as the man suddenly jerked backwards, breaking the kiss.  Shalimar hastily smiled at him, and watched as he bid her goodnight and limped down the hallway.  

"Goodnight!" she called back down the hallway after him before crossing her arms and facing Brennan.  

"What?" he innocently inquired.  

"You shocked him." She took a step closer.

"You kicked me." He took a few steps closer.

"You kissed her." She moved closer yet.

"You kissed him."  He closed the distance between them, clasping her upper arms in his hands.

 "Ok, so we're even."

"Ah no," he countered.  "You made me crawl under a table.  We are so far from being even."

Her lips quirked, "Somehow I think we've had this conversation before."  She smiled.  "So what do you want to do about it this time?"

"Oh, I can think of a few things." He murmured, leaning down to kiss her.  

"Brennan," she reprimanded, pulling away, "We're in public."

"So," he shrugged, leaning down again.

She stopped him with hands on his chest.  "So what if someone sees us?"

"Right now, I don't care."  He pressed a kiss to her neck, knowing exactly the place to make her knees buckle.  

She moaned and melted into him for a moment, before suddenly stiffening and pulling.  "Ah, Brennan," she warned in his ear.

"Well, well," a voice behind them interrupted.  Brennan turned around and inwardly groaned.  It was the short, bald crewman from earlier, dressed in formal whites.

"Hello again," he nodded his head in acknowledgement.  

The man stared at them for a moment before grinning and tipping his hat.  "Goodnight to you both," he winked and walked away, his next words floating back on the tropical breeze.

"Most definitely _not brother and sister."_


	7. Chapter Seven

Disclaimer—see Chapter One

A/N: I just wanted to say thank you so much to everyone for the encouraging words.  I am so relieved to know that people are still interested—I got scared for a moment there!  I know it's rather silly of me, and maybe it's just because I am new to writing stories, but I get nervous every time I post a new chapter, so I cannot thank you enough for reviewing!!  I am now in the middle of writing chapter 13, and I think there will be 14 chapters total with this story, so with this update, we're about half-way done!  Thank you again--I appreciate each and every one of you!!

While All Was Still—Chapter Seven

It was a beautiful afternoon.  The ship was docked to allow passengers to explore the island, but as David was on duty at the ship's pool, Shalimar had stayed aboard as well.  Stretching out a toned leg, she saw him watching her and waved.  Music rang gaily across the breeze and the large umbrella overhead shaded her from the heat of the midday sun.  So far, watching David had been easy.  If not for the beauty around her, she would have been almost bored.  In theory, lounging around a sun-drenched pool for a week sounded so relaxing, but it was only day three and already she was feeling restless.  She envied Brennan, who had gone on a shore excursion with Laura.  The sound of a large splash drew her eyes upward and she grinned.  David was in the midst of supervising a pool game and passengers were jumping into the pool to stuff as many pieces of fake fruit into their swimsuits as they possibly could.  The one with the most fruit after the timer buzzed was the winner.  She watched him as he bent down to comfort a small child as her mother splashed around the pool.  At times like this, it was hard to imagine he was part of Avenger Di Notte and their crusade to eliminate mutants.  A shiver ran down her body as she watched him lift the child up into his arms.  Harmless as he seemed, she thought she had seen a flash of something deep simmering beneath his eyes from time to time, but it was always gone before she could be sure.  From what Jesse told her, the group was extremely dangerous, and from their past experiences, she knew all too well that not everything was at it seemed.   It was because of this she sat here this lazy afternoon, watching people stuff fruit down their suits; she shook her head in wry amusement.  

The persistent beep of her comlink broke her out of her reverie.

"Shal," Lexa's voice rang out, "Can you talk right now?"

"Ah, kind of," Shalimar casually lifted her drink to her mouth as she spoke into her ring.  

"Just calling in for an update," Lexa explained.  "Have you noticed anything at all yet?"

"Still pretty quiet," she murmured back.  "Although we did stumble upon some kind of meeting between David and Laura.  Are you sure Laura's the victim?"

"Yes."  Lexa's voice was firm; boding no argument.  

Shalimar hesitated, "Lexa, what's your connection to her?"

"That's not important."

"I think it is."

"Listen, Shalimar, she's not involved with David, ok.  It's your job to protect her, that's all you need to know."  The connection was cut suddenly.  Shalimar lifted her eyebrows, intrigued.  

"Hey," a deep voice in her ear startled her.  She looked up to see dark eyes watching her intently.  "Who were you talking to?"

"David," she forced a cheerful tone into her voice.  "I was just thinking aloud," she excused.  "Are you finished with your shift?"

"Yeah," he studied her for a moment more; a chill ran down her neck.  Just as suddenly, his lips lifted into a wide smile, and he was transformed into a different man.  "Walk with me?" he charmingly inquired.  

For two hours, they strolled around the upper and lower decks, admiring the blueness of water further out and the clear green of the inland water.  He took her on a tour of the promenade and bought her a drink at one of the many restaurants.  Shalimar studied his face under downcast lashes, trying to read the man next to her, but he remained evasive.  Eventually, they came to a stop in one of several lounges.  He pulled out a chair for her and settled in next to her, arm lightly around her shoulders.  A Latin band was just finishing a number, and she politely clapped along with the rest of the crowd.  As another sultry song began, his finger traced his way lightly up her bare arm and shoulder, tracing unknown patterns.  She turned towards him, only to find his lips inches from her.  Her eyes widened as he clamped onto her mouth, and she forced back a gag reflect and lifted her hand to his cheek.  As he tried to deepen the kiss, she pulled back and feigned a shy smile.  His jaw clenched tightly and then slowly relaxed, and he nodded.   

"Let's enjoy the music for a while," he drew her back against his chest and wrapped his arms possessively around her body.  

Shalimar scanned the crowd, vaguely wondering how much longer she should endure his company, when she felt a familiar presence.  Brennan was nearby.  She eagerly scanned the crowd until she saw him.  He and Laura were just walking into the lounge.  Her eyes narrowed as she watched Laura's arm cling tightly to Brennan's as she daintily tripped along in impossibly high heels.  Even then, her head barely reached Brennan's shoulder.  The lights glimmered off her red highlights, and emphasized her creamy skin.  Her blouse took a daring plunge in front, and she used it to her best advantage.  Shalimar smirked proudly when she recognized the stiff awkwardness in Brennan's stance; good boy.  As they approached the main floor, Laura twirled herself around in front of Brennan and twined both arms around his neck, whispering in his ear and laughing at his chagrined expression as she led him onto the dance floor.

After a half hour of watching Laura throw herself all over Brennan, Shalimar knew she had to get out before her feral side took over and ruined their cover.  She made her excuses to a disappointed David and forced herself to smile politely to Laura on her way out.  She closed the door to her room and leaned against the door, muttering threats under her breath until she felt herself calm down.  She plopped down on the bed, frustrated until she heard the unmistakable sounds of someone moving next door in Brennan's room.  On alert, she tiptoed over to the adjoining door and leaned forward to press her ear against the door just as it flew open and hit her right in the face.     
"Argh!" she screamed, hands flying up to her throbbing nose as Brennan halted in shocked surprise.

"Shalimar!"  He squeaked, horrified as he tried to tug her hands down, "Are you ok?  Let me see."

She allowed him to lower her hands, wincing as he gently prodded at her nose. 

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know you were standing right there," Brennan bit his lip as she flinched again as he continued his examination.  "Well, it's not too bad, but I think you'll be sore for a few days."  

"Oh great," she pouted, until she suddenly noticed what he was wearing.  Her lips twitched as she tried in vain to hide her smirk.  "Brennan, what are you wearing?"

Brennan glanced down at the gaudy souvenir t-shirt he wore and shrugged sheepishly.  "Laura bought it for me."  

She couldn't help but laugh as the sight, even as Brennan shot her a glare.  "Why on earth are you wearing it?"

He held up a shirt grasped loosely in his hands; she hadn't noticed it before.  "Well, I started out wearing mine, but it got stained, so she insisted I put on this one," he gestured helplessly at the pathetic t-shirt, but Shalimar's eyes were studying the shirt in his hands.  

"Is that _lipstick?" She arched a brow._

"Yeah," Brennan replied matter-of-factly, "And you know I'm having the worst trouble getting it out, I thought maybe you—" His voice trailed away as he noticed her pointed look.  "I mean it wasn't a big deal, she just, ah—"

"Never mind," Shalimar shook her head, "I'd rather not know.  How'd it go today?  Did you find anything out?"

"Not really, she's very vague whenever I try to probe for details."  He tossed the shirt onto the bed.  "You know Shal, I've only known her for three days, and already she was hinting about the wedding ceremony taking place at the end of the week.  I mean who does that?"

Shalimar raises her hands in an open gesture.  "Almost everyone on this ship?"  

He smiled, "No, it was more than just loneliness like it seems to be for most of the people around here." He chewed his lip in thought.  "She seems_ too desperate, almost like she has to get married for a reason."  _

Shalimar cocked her head, "Maybe she does have her own motivation in this thing after all.  Lexa insists she's innocent, but I don't know."  Her brow wrinkled, "I just don't trust that woman."

"I couldn't tell," Brennan sarcastically teased, then shook his head, "But really, how are you doing?"

"I'm going be fine," her hand rose to her nose.

"No, Shal," he sobered a bit as he gently clasped her upper arms, "I mean how are you doing with all this."  He bent down to catch her eye.  "It couldn't have been easy today."  

She sighed as she raised her arms up around his neck, "I hate this Bren, but we'll make it." She paused as she pursed her lips in thought.  "As long as Laura behaves that is, I couldn't believe her in there tonight, prancing around half-dressed, flinging parts from one end of the room to the other."

Brennan snorted in laughter, "It wasn't quite that bad."  He lightly kissed her nose, eyes narrowing in thought, "Although, I had to force myself back when I saw him touching you tonight."  She nodded as he bent down and traced his knuckles down her cheek, emotion flickering deep in his eyes. "I'll be so glad when this assignment is over."  He pressed his lips to her forehead and then found himself wanting more so he moved down to her lips, tasting her and finding comfort in her response, in her familiarity.  

Her eyes sank closed as she tightened her hold around him, wanting to only feel him close to her.  She breathed him in and her nose wrinkled, catching a whiff of a foreign perfume mixed in with Brennan's scent and felt the need to replace it.  She pulled slightly away and slipped her hands under his shirt, stroking them sensually up his chest and around his back for a few moments, before grasping the edge and pulling it up over his head, carelessly tossing it to the floor with a huff.  Brennan arched as she practically rubbed against him, circling around him, kissing every place she could reach.  He moaned and stilled her movements, bringing her back to his mouth in a crushing kiss; the room tilted and swirled as long moments intensified.  She winced slightly as he bumped her nose, and breaking apart, they both chuckled, breathing deeply, leaning foreheads together.  

"I love you, Shalimar," Brennan murmured quietly.  "You know that, right?"

She pulled back, eyes searching his face.  "I don't know if you'll ever know how much it means to hear you say that," she whispered tenderly.  "It's like--like all goes still, and for a moment, it's just you and me and nothing else." 

His eyes softened, and he wrapped her in a fierce hug.  "Then that's all that matters."  

Outside, a silent ear pressed against the door, listening; fists clenching in fury and eyes darkening in slow burning rage.

Inside, they were too distracted to notice.


	8. Chapter Eight

Disclaimer—see Chapter One

A/N: I'm trying a little bit of an experiment with this story and am attempting to focus more on plot development, not just character development, so the next few chapters will focus on the plot a bit more than usual, but I promise to still have lots of Bren/Shal moments in the mix!  My overall goal is to have a mix of humor and drama, along with the romance, so please let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions.  Also, just a side note, I wrote these chapters before the ep "Brother's Keeper" aired, so this does not follow the timeline revealed in that episode.  In this world, Lexa's brother is still missing, and she has not seen him for over two years.  Please take a moment to review!  Thank you again so much!!!!

While All Was Still—Chapter Eight

The sun beat down in unmerciful rays for hour upon hour, baking all within its path.  Palm trees drooped in heat and swayed in faint breezes, the rustling fronds whispering a song to listening ears.  Brennan sighed and pinched his nose in tired frustration, his aching head taking soothing relief in the sound and shadow of the palm.  

_"Hey, Bren!"_

He cringed at the voice.  Not again.  His eyes opened to reveal a beautiful face hovering inches from his own, teeth flashing bright in the sun.  It was an alluring sight, until the face spoke again.

"Isn't it adorable?" She giggled, holding out the umpteenth souvenir of the day.  

"Yeah, adorable," Brennan stretched his lips into a half smile.  She grabbed his hand and pulled him along.  

"Look—there's another store, let's go!"  

Brennan forced tired feet to follow, the voice bouncing between his weary ears, muttering under his breath, _"Kill me now." _

Shalimar halted to a stop as she came out of the shower.  Brennan lay sprawled across her tiny bed, limbs hanging over the edges in a very uncomfortable position, but he didn't seem to care.  He moaned piteously as he heard her footsteps.  

"Brennan," she knelt down by him, "Are you ok?"

"I can't move, Shal," he lamented, "If my life depended upon it, I couldn't move right now."

"What happened?"  She leaned over him in concern.

"Shopping."

She couldn't help it, a chuckle escaped.  He pried one eye open at her.  "I'm sorry," she apologized, the smile still in her voice, running her hand up his arm and squeezing his shoulder in sympathy.  She felt his shudder and pulled back, surprised.  

"Brennan?"  She peered closer at him in the dim light and gasped.  'Brennan, you're burnt."

"Shopping in the sun."  He amended his earlier statement.  

She bit her lip in sympathy, padding over to the bathroom and digging in a drawer before coming back over to him.  "Here, Bren," she gently climbed up next to him on the bed, prompting him to roll over on his back and straddled his waist.  

"Shal, he grunted, "I never thought I'd say this, but I'm not in the mood right now."  

"No," she laughed outright, "I've got burn salve."  She couldn't stop chuckling as she gently lifted the tank off his hurting body and spread the salve into her palms, lightly running them over his chest and arms in soothing circles.  After a while, she had him roll over again, applying the same treatment to his back and shoulders and neck.  Watching him wince and squint at her, she knew he was suffering a headache as well.  Capping the salve, she crawled to the head of the bed and gently lifted his head into her lap and ran her thumbs over his closed eyelids, then pushed hard along his temples, over and over until she felt him relax.   

Sunlight wakened him.  Blinking, disoriented, it dawned on him slowly that his head was cushioned on Shalimar's lap.  He tilted his head back to see she had fallen asleep sitting up against the headboard, her hands limply tangled in his hair.  She looked exhausted, and he knew she must have stayed up late taking care of him.  His heart constricted with guilt.

"Brennan?"

"Shh," he whispered, sorry he had wakened her.

"Are you alright?"

"I don't know what we're doing here," he admitted, speaking quietly and reaching for her hand.  He felt her fingers close around his own.  "I keep thinking of what we've been through already, and here we are putting ourselves through another hard situation.  I feel like all I do is hurt you, Shal."

"Oh Brennan," she turned his face up towards hers with her hand.  He grabbed her palm and kissed it, feeling the sting of frustration in his eyes.

"Do you want to leave Mutant X?" she asked suddenly.  "Leave Jesse and Lexa—"

"No!" he whispered fiercely, looking aghast.

"We could move to a small town," she offered, "Live to a rip old age and die of boredom."  His brows wrinkled in confusion, but her laughter, low in her throat, told him she only teased.

He grinned in relief, "Are you trying to tell me you're ok with all this?"

None of this is your doing, Bren," she whispered, "You take too much on yourself.  I was the one who insisted we do this one."  She stroked his chin, running her finger along his jaw line, then his lips, touching lightly.  She eased up on the headboard to look down at him and smiled, kissing his mouth.  He lay quietly, accepting her gentle touch and ministration.  "Sometimes the missions are difficult, but we have an important job to do, and together we will go through whatever is ahead."  

He carefully turned in her arms, moaning as his sunburned skin stretched tight in protest, but raised his arms anyway, pulling her to his chest and hugging her close, feeling the warmth and response of her body against his.

"What would I do without you, Shal?"

She smiled against his neck.  "You know you'd be lost without me."   His grip tightened around her, even as he chuckled along with her.  

The brightening sun through the window reluctantly drew their attention to the fact that day had begun without them.  Brennan slowly pushed himself to a sitting position as Shalimar padded over to the window.  She peered out the portal to see the outline of an island shadowed against the misty light.  

"So what've you guys got planned for today?" she asked, turning back and watching as he grimaced at the reflection of his burnt shoulders in the mirror.  

He made a face.  "She wants to look at wedding dresses, can you believe it?  First she flirts, then she drops hints, then she plans the entire wedding without even asking."  He shook his head.  "I tell you, Shal, she's hiding something.  No one can be like this for real."  He scratched his head as she watched him sort through it all in his mind.  "I just can't figure out what her motivation would be."  

"Well," Shalimar crossed her arms.  "We've only got three more days to figure this out.  We better hope David makes his move before then, because you are most definitely not marrying that woman, I don't care if she is in danger."  

He smiled at her adamancy.  "What's your plan today?"  

"David has the day off today, so he said he wanted to explore the island."  She pursed her lips thoughtfully.  "I was actually thinking that today may be the day he tries something since he's not tied to the pool like he has been all week."  

Brennan stopped short on his way to the shower and turned back to look at her.  "I don't like the idea of you being alone with him then."  

She frowned at him, "Don't even start that again."  

He raised his hands, "Sorry, I just worry about you.  They're killing mutants."  

"Then you better keep an eye on Laura today, she's the one in danger here, not me." 

He nodded in concession before stepping into the shower, voice floating out behind him.  "You coming?"

Back at Sanctuary, Jesse's hand slapped down on the terminal.  "Lexa, I found it!"  He jumped up and grabbed a paper from the printer, running through the halls, halting to a stop as he saw her staring at a picture in her hands.  He slowly approached so as not to startle her, and peered over her shoulder to see a picture of her with her arms around a dark-haired man.  He cleared his throat, and she jumped, holding the picture against her chest.

"Who is he?" he spoke quietly, sitting next to her.  

She studied his face for long moments, sighing as he didn't back down.  Her fingers tightened on the frame.  "He's my brother." 

"Where is he?"

She dropped her eyes.  "He's missing."  She blinked her eyes and squared her shoulders, tossing back her hair.  "What did you find?"  

Jesse watched her a moment more before deciding to let it go for now.  He held out the paper in front of her.  "David and Laura are married."  

She raised her eyebrows, making no comment.

"Why don't you seem too surprised?"

She dropped her eyes away from his intense gaze.  "They're actually divorced.  After they broke up," she paused taking a breath, "she dated my brother."  

Jesse stared at her, shocked.  "And this just now came up why?" 

She shrugged defensively.  "It was a need to know basis."  She turned to him earnestly.  "Jesse, she was the last to see my brother alive, she has to survive this, I have to talk to her."  

He blew out his breath.  "Lexa, there's one more thing."  He held out another picture, watching her expression.  "She has a child."

Shalimar giggled as Brennan kissed her neck, his arms wrapped around her from behind, teasingly holding her back from the front door.

"Come on Shal," he entreated, nibbling on her ear, "Stay here with me just a little while longer," he swung her around in his arms, kissed the top of her head, then lay a trail of kisses down her throat like drops of melting ice.  She closed her eyes, even as her body shivered from his touch.  "_Brennan," she laughingly reprimanded after a moment, turning back around and reaching her arms to the door as he plastered himself to her back, reluctantly stepping with her to the door. _

"Fine," he pouted, "But tonight," his eyebrows waggled dramatically as she opened the door, "You are mine."   

The laugher died in her throat as she came face to face with dark eyes glowering inches in front of her.  Awkwardly, she cleared her throat, "David."  


	9. Chapter Nine

Disclaimer—see Chapter One

A/N: Thank you again so much for your reviews—I can't tell you all enough how much it means to me and how much I appreciate all of you!  You give me the encouragement to keep on going!  I hope these next few chapters don't disappoint as they are a bit plot focused.  So we're now going to "jump ship" for a few chapters and spend time on an island delving into the mission.  But the ship is docked, and they'll be back aboard before it sets sail!  Please let me know what you think!  Thank you!! 

While All Was Still—Chapter Nine

All was quiet for a few beats while the three of them looked at each other.  Brennan's hands hastily moved into a more brotherly position, even as Shalimar composed her face into innocent inquiry.  David's eyes narrowed imperceptively for an agonizing heartbeat before his tense stance relaxed and his mouth turned up into a charming smile.  

"I see I don't get to be the first one to kiss you today after all," his eyes darted back and forth between them.  

Brennan dropped a brotherly kiss on top of Shalimar's head, his fingers brushing her back in comforting reassurance before grinning back and holding out a hand to shake David's.  

"David," he nodded at him, "Now that I know my sister is in good hands, I'll get out of the way.  I've got plans of my own right now," he suggestively wagged his eyebrows, hoping to distract him from the earlier scene. 

His hand tightened momentarily on Shalimar's shoulder.  "Be safe, Shal," he quipped in a light tone as he stepped around them and forced his feet to willingly walk away.  

Shalimar looped her arm through David's and coaxed him down the hallway.  "So what do you want to do on your day off?" she entreated.

He stopped in the hallway, turning toward her.  "This," he grabbed her shoulders and latched onto her lips in a hard, demanding kiss.  She couldn't pull away without using feral strength, so she allowed him the move, one arm around his neck for show, the other clenched tightly at her side as he pressed even harder.  After long moments, he finally pulled away and smiled purposefully.  "Now that's a proper kiss," he whispered, eyes unreadable, before he turned around and walked back down the hallway.  Shalimar stared after him, fingering her bruised and swollen lips and involuntarily flashed yellowed eyes at his back as he stepped away.  

"Hey," Brennan greeted Laura as she stood by the ramp, waiting for him.  "Sorry I'm late."  

"That's ok,' she smiled eagerly at him, turning her face up for a kiss. He dropped a brief kiss on her lips and held out an arm for her, leading her down the palm-lined harbor.  She giggled and pranced alongside him in yet another pair of impractical heels, squealing in delight as she saw a row of shops flanking the harbor.  Brennan rolled his eyes and groaned as she dragged him toward the first one.  

The morning passed by quickly.  David showed no interest in pairing up with Brennan and Laura, so Shalimar began to think that maybe she was wrong and that he didn't have ulterior motives for the day after all.  

She clung to the rail of the catamaran as it circled around the island.  Music rang gaily from the speakers and drinks flowed freely.  It was approaching the end of the ride and some people danced wildly around her, obviously quite inebriated.  She shook her head at their crazy antics and turned her gaze back out toward the water, finding reassurance in the calming blue-green waves and rolling whitecaps.  

Lexa narrowed her eyes as her link to the Dominion abruptly ended, and she hit the terminal in frustration.  

"Not very much fun is it?"  Jesse approached from behind.

She glared at him.  "Mind your own damn business."

"Let me guess," he continued despite her comment, "They told you it was need to know."

Her eyes widened at his audacity.  

"Not much fun when you're on the other side, is it?"  He pointedly remarked.

She held her glare for a moment more before her shoulders drooped in defeat.  "They wouldn't tell me anything about the child, just that Laura gave her up for adoption immediately after birth."

"Do you think your brother is the father?"

"No!" she shook her head adamantly, "He wouldn't abandon his own child, not willingly."  She rubbed her temples tiredly.  "If I could just find out some information on her, maybe I could learn something."

Jesse's look softened.  He held out a piece of paper under her nose.  "Trust your friends more, Lex."  He set it down and walked away.

Lexa curiously picked up the paper and gasped.  Somehow Jesse had found the little girl; she was living in the Caribbean.   

Brennan sank into the small chair with a groan.  Laura had finally stopped her crazy shopping spree when she saw a little bridal shop on the corner and had found some dresses to try on.  He could hear her squeals of delight from inside the dressing room, and he cringed.  They haven't even seen a hint of David all morning, and he was afraid perhaps the information had been incorrect and Laura was not in danger after all.  He could not see an easy way out of the sticky situation he was finding himself in without causing a scene and then risking Laura's safety if she truly was a target.  He refused to marry the girl, but he also could not bear to be responsible for her coming into harm's way.  She was self-centered and annoying, but didn't deserve to die.  He bit his lip to hold back the words tumbling to his mind when she called out for him again and pushed himself back to his feet.  

She titillated in front of him, and he choked back a laugh, brows shooting up at the frilly thing she was encased in; and Shalimar had thought the souvenir t-shirt was gaudy.

Shalimar blew out her breath when the catamaran finally docked; it was good to be back on solid ground.  Her ears were still ringing from the loudness of the boat, and the quiet atmosphere on the island was a relief.  Her guard was up, senses attune and extremely sensitive.  David's hand fell on her shoulder as they walked along.  He had insisted on going for a walk around the entire island, and they strolled through a residential area, far off the usual tourist beat.  She watched confused as he suddenly came to a stop outside a large, gated-off home that was set back from the others on the street.  It was obviously an expensive home, and he peered over the elaborate fence for several minutes.  She finally grew impatient and stepped up next to him, surprised to see the hatred written across his face, which immediately disappeared when he noticed her.  His eyes strayed back over to beyond the fence for a few more seconds before bouncing back to her.  He smiled and drew her away, back to the street and past the house.

"I'm fascinated by the local architecture," he explained with a shrug.  "But I don't want to bore you, what do you say we go get lunch now?" 

In the coolness of the shaded restaurant, Brennan felt revived.  He sipped his drink and nodded occasionally to keep up the appearance of listening to Laura's rambling.  When she suddenly paused mid-sentence he glanced up from his plate to see her glaring over his shoulder.  He whipped around to see David and Shalimar in the doorway.  He tensed; maybe Shalimar had been right after all, maybe something would finally happen.  He watched as Shalimar pointed at them in pleasant surprise, tugging David with her over to their table.  

"Mind if we join you," she asked with a smile.

Laura grudgingly nodded and a waiter pulled up two more chairs.  Shalimar shot Brennan a pointed look, and he immediately knew she wanted to speak with him.  He dropped one lid in a slow wink and then stood up, making excuses and heading towards the restrooms.  He turned around the corner and waited for a few moments until Shalimar appeared next to him.  

"We only have a few minutes," she hissed as he nodded and grabbed her hand, eyes darting both ways before dunking into the bathroom with her.  

"Nice meeting place," she smirked, even as he whirled around and pushed her against the wall, capturing her mouth in a desperate, hungry kiss.  Her hands rose up and tangled in his hair, and he broke away, leaning his head on her forehead.  

"I missed you," he breathed, leaning down and kissing her again, greedy in his need of her.  Groaning into her mouth, he deepened the kiss, until she suddenly winced and pulled back.  

"Shalimar?" he questioned in concern, "Is your nose still hurting you?"

She looked up at him with tender eyes, hand resting on his cheek.  He cupped her hand and kissed her palm.  "Shal?"

"I'm alright Brennan, just a little sore."

He watched as she turned her face slightly away from him.  Something was wrong.  He gently cupped her cheeks and turned her face back towards him, looking closely at her in the light.  His eyes widened as he saw faint bruising around her swollen lips.  She dropped her gaze down as his finger rose up and lightly fingered her mouth in disbelief.  She heard his sharp intake of breath and glanced back up.  

"Who did this to you?"  Brennan's eyes darkened and hardened until they were unrecognizable.  

"Brennan, it's nothing, don't worry—"

"Who did this?"__

She rested her hands on his chest to calm him down just as a knock sounded on the door.  

"Go away," he yelled through the door in dangerous voice.  Footsteps scurried away.

"_What did he do?" he gritted in barely controlled fury, chest heaving up and down in deep, calculating breaths.  _

"Brennan, calm down," she raised her hands around his neck in a soothing gesture.  "Nothing happened."  

"Shalimar, you're hurt," his voice cracked in fear and anger, "Tell me what he did to you."

She sighed and closed her eyes, unable to bear the intensity in his expression.  "He kissed me after you left."

_"What?"_

"He tries to hide it, and he is deceptively charming on the surface, but Brennan," she shook her head, "he's extremely possessive and controlling.  I think he could very easily be dangerous."

"Damn," he banged his fist into the wall, "I knew I shouldn't have left you alone with him."

She grabbed his arm, "Brennan, stop it."  She raised her voice and shot him a pointed look.  "I could have stopped him at any time, I was_ not_ in danger.  I allowed this," she gestured at her mouth, "because I'm not about to ruin our cover over a stupid kiss."  She stared at him until he finally relented, pulling her to him with desperation. 

"I'm sorry, Shal," he huskily whispered, burying his face in her hair, "If something ever happened to you, I don't know what I'd do."

"Nothing is going to happen to me, not now anyway."  She pulled back to make eye contact.  "I wanted us to call Sanctuary, but we better get back, or it will look suspicious."  

"Yeah," he murmured in agreement, not moving.  She could still sense the fear and anger in him; he had been more shaken than she realized.  She leaned up and gave him a gentle kiss.

"See," she smiled against his lips, "I'm perfectly fine."  She kissed him tenderly again.  He shuddered, wrapping both arms around her, and she stroked his back in comfort until he finally relaxed.  

"Let's go," she indicated to the door with her head.  "They're going to wonder what happened to us."  

"Let them wonder, if that bastard even opens his mouth right now--" he muttered, leaving the threat unfinished as he followed her out the door and back down the hallway.  He turned the corner, bumping into Shalimar as she came to an abrupt stop, staring in growing dread at their table.  

They were both gone.  


	10. Chapter Ten

Disclaimer—see Chapter One

A/N: I don't know about anyone else, but for me, all my stories have at least one chapter that I dislike and can't seem to get right no matter how long I stare at it!  It was chapter three in House of Dreams, and this chapter in this story.  So be forewarned, this is a transition chapter--sorry it's a bit boring!!  I promise it will pick up again after this one!  Thank you!!

While All Was Still—Chapter Ten

They sat at the table in silence; waiting, futilely hoping David or Laura would show up with a logical excuse.  Shalimar had intended to only leave them alone for a moment, but Brennan's reaction had distracted her.  She tried hard not to blame his temper as she drummed her nails on the tabletop.  Brennan's hands tightened around the glass he was holding.  

"Shal, I don't think they're coming back."  

She snorted, "No kidding."  

"So why are we still sitting here?"

"Because I'm thinking," she snapped back at him.  

He sighed.  "I screwed up, alright?  Can we move beyond that and get out of here.  I have to find Laura, if anything happens to her—" his voiced trailed away.  

"I know," she answered quietly.  She sat for a moment more, then pushed back her chair and stood up.  "Let's go."

Brennan jumped to his feet, threw some bills on the table and marched outside.  They had done a quick sweep of the street when they first discovered David and Laura missing, but he wanted to look more closely.  

"Hey Jesse," Shalimar called into her comlink, "We have a problem here."  

Jesse's voice responded back after a moment.  "Hey, Shal, what's up?"

"We just lost David and Laura.  We're afraid he might have taken her when we left them alone for a few minutes."  

"Can you track them?"  

Shalimar sniffed the air, catching a whiff of the same perfume she had smelled all over Brennan the other night.  "Yeah, I think so."  

"I've got some news for you guys too," Jesse added, briefly informing them of what he and Lexa had learned.  After ending the connection, Shalimar attempted to follow the faint scent.  Brennan trailed after her, lost in thought.  

"Hey, Shal," he called after a while, "If her daughter is in the Caribbean, maybe she's here, on this island."

She stopped her tracking and looked at him, a thoughtful expression on her face.  "Let's check the island registry."

Two hours later found them buried in dust and stale books.  The registry was closed, so they had snuck in, and were digging through piles of record books.  

"This is endless," Shalimar complained, "Maybe I should have kept trying to track her."  

Brennan flipped through another book, blowing the dust off the page.  "Hold that thought, Shal," he murmured excitedly, "I think I finally found something."  He pointed to an entry on the page as she peered over his shoulder.

"We've been assuming Lexa's brother was the father, and that the girl must be under two years old, the last time Lexa saw her brother." He paused to make sure she was following him.  "On a hunch I went further back and here's an entry from five years ago, showing that a 'Baby Wellington' was adopted to a couple by the name of Porter, who lived right here on the island."  

Shalimar's brows rose.  "So David's the father."  

"That's what it looks like."

Her forehead furrowed in thought.  "So why would David join Avenger Di Notte, and why would he target his ex-wife?"

"I don't know Shal," Brennan shook his head.  "But the fact that he does know Laura after all, and still wants to kill her, makes him even more dangerous."

Shalimar nodded.  "And it couldn't be coincidence that he chose to take his day off on the day we're docked at the island where his daughter lives."  She banged her hand on the table, coughing at the dust that flew up into her face.  "So what's the connection between all this?  All we seem to do is find more and more angles on this case.  Nothing adds up or makes sense."  

Brennan smiled slightly as he reached up and brushed dust out of her hair.  "You're going gray Shal," he lamely joked.

She nudged him with her elbow; he couldn't resist, he bent down and stole a quick kiss, smiling into her mouth.  "You're adorable, you know that?"  

"Darn right," she smirked back up at him.  

He rested his palm on her cheek, lightly thumbing the faint bruising on her lips, eyes darkening momentarily.  "We'll catch him, Shal."

Their rings went off at the same time, startling them.  "Yeah," Shalimar answered, eyes still on Brennan.  

"Any luck yet?"  Jesse asked.  

"Some," Brennan answered.  "We're following a hunch right now, can we get back to you?"  

"You got it," Jesse promptly answered.

"Hey, Jess," Shalimar added, "We did find evidence that Laura's daughter is David's.  Can you let Lexa know?"

Jesse blew out his breath.  "Oh man," he mumbled.  "Yeah, I'll tell her."   

Shalimar looked up at Brennan after Jesse ended their connection.  "What are you thinking?"

"I want to see if we can find a listed address for the couple that adopted the baby, see if we can meet the little girl, maybe even see if David or Laura dropped by."

As they snuck back out, Shalimar smacked herself on the forehead.  "Brennan," she grabbed his arm, "I don't know why I didn't think of it earlier.  When I was walking with David, he took me through some residential neighborhoods.  There was one house in particular that seemed to hold his attention."

They looked at each other, "The Porter's."  They ran down the street. 

Brennan tried to look casual as he leaned against the fence, waiting for Shalimar to come back from her search of the property.  With her feral abilities, she would quickly be able to determine if anyone was around or not.  The house was beautiful, surrounded by lush grounds teeming with native flora.  A swing set looked a bit out of place in the setting, but gave evidence of a child's presence.  He waved at a neighbor peering out a window from across the street, hoping she wouldn't come out and start asking questions.  "Come on, Shal," he muttered under his breath.  

"You called?"  She suddenly appeared from behind him, startling him.

"Geez, Shal," he exclaimed, hand on his chest, "Don't do that." 

She laughed and jumped over the fence.  

"Careful," he warned, glancing back towards the neighbor, but the face in the window was gone.  He shrugged, "So what did you find?"

"Well," she dusted off her hands, "There's no one here, and it looks like it's been empty for a while.  Everything inside is covered with sheets and closed up."  

Brennan pressed his lips together.  "So we still have no clue what happened to Laura."  

Shalimar placed her hand on his arm.  "Well, she is a mutant, so we know she has some ability to defend herself.  And she did refuse protection, knowing full well David was after her.  She must not be too afraid of him."  

"Yeah," Brennan nodded, "I hope you're right."  

Shalimar looked around the area, "We still don't know for sure if this was the Porter house or not.  Maybe we should check with some neighbors." 

Brennan pointed across the street.  "There was a woman home over there, she was watching me through her window."  They crossed over and knocked on the door.  After a long moment, an elderly woman with a shaky hand slowly opened the door.  

"Yes?" she inquired.  

When she heard that they were looking for the Porters, she opened her door wide open and invited them in for tea.  In a hurry, but not wanting to be rude, they shuffled into the tiny home and waited while she heated water.

Brennan opened and closed his hand, tiny sparks dancing off his fingers as his knee jittered up and down in nervous energy.  Shalimar felt his impatience and reached out and rested her hand on his knee, stilling his movements.    
He smiled and lifted his hand, letting the electricity dissipate and then put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close and kissing the top of her hair.  She breathed in deeply, letting his scent wash over her.  She raised her arm and clasped his hand, turning it over and tracing along the outline of his fingers.  She could still feel the energy just below the surface of his skin, and she sensed the power lingering there.  She meshed their hands together, combining her strength with his, loving the feel of it.  His knuckle bulged slightly from when it had recently been broken, and she raised his hand to her lips, placing gentle kisses along his finger.  He had broken it in his search for her, and she loved that crooked knuckle. 

A tea kettle whistled in the background and then the little old lady returned, carrying a tea tray on trembling arms.  Brennan jumped up and took it from her, and she smiled at him in gratitude.  They waited while she poured the steaming liquid into quaint cups and handed them out.  

Shalimar took a sip and gagged, spitting it back into the cup and stopping Brennan from taking a drink with a quick look while the neighbor was stirring sugar into her cup.  She discreetly set the cup aside and leaned forward, resting her hands on her knees.  "So do you know the Porter's?"  She asked politely.

"I knew them," the elderly lady responded.  

"Knew them?" Brennan's forehead creased.

"Yes," she replied, "They died in a car accident about six months ago."

Shalimar leaned back against the couch and blew out her breath; another bad lead.  

Brennan didn't want to give up so easily.  He turned back to the neighbor.  "What about their daughter?  Do you know if she died too?"

"Liza?" the lady shook her head, "Oh no, Liza's just fine.  She wasn't in the car with them, poor dear."

Shalimar leaned excitedly forward.  "Do you know what happened to her?"  

"She was adopted as a baby, so child services took her back and last I heard were attempting to make contact with the biological parents."  

Finally, they were getting somewhere.  Brennan held his breath as he asked the next question. "Do you know if they found them?" 

"I haven't heard, but if they ever do, they'll be in for a big surprise."  

"Why is that?" Shalimar questioned, not quite following.  

The lady's eyes sparkled.  "The Porter's were quite wealthy and left Liza with a hefty inheritance.  Whoever takes her will have access to millions."  

Brennan and Shalimar looked at each other, eyes communicating silently for a few moments.  They finally had their motive.  


	11. Chapter Eleven

Disclaimer—see Chapter One

A/N: Thank you again so much for all your encouraging words!!  Please keep on reviewing and letting me know what you think!!  Thank you so much!!!

While All Was Still—Chapter Eleven

A pair of solemn eyes regarded Brennan with unwavering interest. A bit uncomfortable under the intense scrutiny of a five-year old, he shifted restlessly in his chair, willing Shalimar to come back and rescue him.  After leaving the neighbor's house, they had split up; she to resume the hunt for David and Laura, and he to try and find Liza.  Little did he know when he walked into the office for Child Services that they would be open and that they would have the girl right there with them.  He squirmed again and took a sip of the lukewarm coffee that had been offered to him.

"Are you my real daddy?"  

Brennan spit out his coffee in a heated rush.  "_What?"  _

Little hands reached tentatively for his knee as she rose up and stood beside him.  "When the lady took me here, she said she was going to find my real daddy."  The little voice wavered.

Brennan's heart constricted, he couldn't help it.  "No, I'm sorry, I'm not."  

_How do you talk to children? _He frantically searched his brain for any previous experience to rely upon; he came up blank.  Connor had been easy, he was just like himself as a teen, but this tiny girl in front of him was an enigma.  

Eyes blinked and her little mouth formed into a quivering oval.  "Oh."  Great tears sprang into deep violet eyes and hovered for a moment before slowly sliding down dusty cheeks.  

Brennan panicked.  "_Shalimar!"_ he hissed into his ring, "Where are you?"  

"I'm on my way," she called back, amused at the terror in his voice.  

A tear landed on his knee.  

His eyes widened in horror.  

A sniffle sounded in the room.

He bit his lip in anxiety.

Wobbly fingers clenched his jeans.  

He shot up straight in his chair.

"Are you ah, ok?" he finally ventured to ask.

"I'm scared."  Her small voice echoed back.  

Brennan awkwardly slipped out of his chair and knelt down beside her on one knee.  "Of what?"

"I'm alone."  She tightened her hold on his jeans.  

"Oh sweetie, you're not alone," he carefully circled an arm around her.  "You've got people here helping you, looking for your mom and dad."

"I don't like it here," she covered her mouth, afraid she would be in trouble.

He winked at her.  "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."  

She granted him a small smile.  Her fingers slightly relaxed their death grip on his pant leg.

"You know what," he tried to reassure her, "My name is Brennan, and I'll help you, ok?"  

Grubby arms suddenly shot out and launched themselves around his neck.  He stiffened in shock for a moment, before slowly raising his arms and patting her back.  He sensed Shalimar's presence at the same time and raised his eyes to see her looking at him with an expression of tender surprise.  He tried to stand up, but little arms refused to budge, so he brought her up with him; she smiled.

It was already two o'clock in the afternoon, and the ship was scheduled to leave port at seven o'clock that evening.  Time was against them on this day as they continued their search for their missing targets.  Brennan had reluctantly left Liza at the office after Shalimar discreetly reminded him of their potentially dangerous hunt.  Shalimar paused as they turned a street corner, nose lifted into the air.  Brennan smiled; he loved watching her work, she was fluid in her movement and sensual in her intensity.  A finger beckoned him and off she went.  He followed, unable to keep his eyes off her.  She set a fast pace for half an hour before pausing yet again.

"David went that way," she pointed down a side street, "and Laura is down here," she pointed in the opposite direction.  

"Well, at least we know he doesn't have her," Brennan blew out his breath, hands resting on his knees.  Shalimar placed a hand on his heaving back.  

"I think you need a bit more exercise," she teased.  

"Oh yeah?" he challenged, shooting back up and grasping her, hiking her over his shoulder and whirling her around in his arms.  Laughter floated around her as she squealed and clutched at his shoulders as he pivoted in mad circles until sinking to the ground.  Tourists smiled and veered a wide path around them as Shalimar landed in his lap and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug as the world swirled by in glorious colors.  He buried his nose in her hair as she flashed him a wide smile.  

"What was that for?"  

He pulled back and grinned, not caring that they were drawing curious stares in their present position.  "Do I need a reason?" he huskily intoned.  

She searched his face, eyes aglow, "Never."  She trailed a finger on his cheek, teasingly pulling back when he tried to seize her lips.  "Brennan, we're in the middle of the road."  

"I don't care," he leaned in again, moaning into her mouth when she suddenly shifted closer on his lap.  Time froze for seemingly endless moments until sound came crashing back upon her, and she reluctantly broke away, drawing him back up with her, brushing the dust off her pants and smiling devilishly at him as she rotated around and continued back down the street in the direction of Laura.  Brennan tried unsuccessfully not to look affected as he trailed slowly after her.  

Half an hour later, Shalimar stopped abruptly.  "She's near."  

Brennan glanced around just as a whirlwind of flowery perfume and tittering laugher attacked him from behind.  He stiffened as the voice hit his ears; Laura.  He turned around just as she hurled herself into his arms and kissed his surprised mouth.  He hastily pulled back and tugged her arms down from around his neck as she giggled and tried again to kiss him.  Her smile dropped as she took in his serious expression.

"Brenny," she whined, "What's wrong?"  

Shalimar stepped up beside him, loudly clearing her throat.  Laura's eyes darted back and forth between Brennan and Shalimar, her mouth suddenly falling into a hard line at Brennan's next words.

"Let's cut the act, shall we?" he arched an eyebrow.

"We know the truth about you, Laura," Shalimar added, arm sliding around Brennan's waist, a move not lost on Laura's angry eyes.  

"You're not his sister," she grated flatly. 

Shalimar couldn't help herself, she smiled triumphantly.  

Brennan rolled his eyes at both of them.  "Ah ladies, if you're through, I think we have more important things to discuss."  He turned back toward Laura.  "We know you're a mutant, and we know about your past relationship with David," he paused, ticking the list off his fingers, "we also know about your daughter, and we know about the Porter's and the inheritance."  

She crossed her arms.  "Tell me something I don't know."

Shalimar's eyes narrowed.  "We also know where to find Liza." 

After a moment, Brennan was able to convince them to take seats at an open café, ordering drinks for them all.  He pinched his nose in tired frustration, smiling in appreciation as Shalimar slipped a hand under the table to rest on his thigh.  His own hand darted down and clasped hers tightly.  

Laura watched them both for a while, before breaking the silence.  "Look," she frowned, "I don't know what you want with me, but that money is mine."

Shalimar's eyes widened in astonishment, "You don't even care about your daughter, do you?"  Brennan squeezed her hand in calming comfort.

"I'll take her," she shrugged defensively.  

"Only because you have to for the money," Shalimar gritted.  

"I said I'll take her," Laura growled, "That's all you need to know."  

"What about David?"  Brennan finally spoke up.

She hesitated before shaking her head in dismissal.  "He's harmless, just throwing around meaningless threats."

"They can't be that meaningless," Brennan countered, "We were sent to protect you from him."

"He's a part of a group that's marked you for a hit," Shalimar tapped her free hand on the table.  

Laura paused in surprise, brows furrowed.  "I wondered," she mused aloud.  "But I can handle myself."  

Shalimar released Brennan's hand and leaned forward.  "So why Brennan," she bluntly asked, "Where does he fit into all your plans?"  

Laura had the grace to look embarrassed for a moment.  "I needed to be married to gain custody over David, Brennan was just convenient."   

Shalimar eyed her in disgust.  "So you disregard threats against your life, plan to seduce an innocent man, and plot to use your own daughter to steal an inheritance."  

"You make it sound cheap," Laura indifferently picked invisible lint off her sleeve.    

Brennan's hand shot out, stopping Shalimar from jumping out of her chair.  "Do you know where David is?" he tried to regain control of the conversation.  

Worry marred her face for a moment.  "No, when you both disappeared into the restrooms, he followed you, so I took the opportunity to disappear.  You don't think he'll find Liza before me do you?"

"Don't worry," Brennan soothed, "We'll keep her safe."  

Laura bit her lip.  "I have to find her first, without being married, I won't have leverage over David anymore."   She abruptly stood up, pushing back her chair with a loud scrape, "I want that money."  He eyes glittered before walking away.  "Take me to her," she hollered over her slender shoulder.  

Brennan and Shalimar exchanged glances of disbelief before pushing up.  Brennan stilled her for a moment, hand cupping her cheek.  "We're almost done here," he whispered in reassurance, "We'll do what we can to help Liza and then we'll go home." 

Shalimar's look softened, and she raised up on tiptoe to reach his mouth, "Home," she repeated in promise, brushing a lingering kiss against his lips before turning back around and following after Laura.

They reached the office just as the wind picked up, arching the palms into a bowing dance.  A troop of Green monkeys screeched in warning as waves pounded the shore in the backdrop.  Shalimar shivered as she was hit with a feeling of unease while she stood waiting outside the office Brennan had entered a few minutes before. Something was wrong.  A moment later, Brennan came running out, chest pulsing in anger.  Shalimar knew before he even told her; they were already too late.  


	12. Chapter Twelve

Disclaimer-see Chapter One

A/N: This chapter is rated PG-13 for violence/death.  Please be aware if you are sensitive to the death of a minor character.

A/N II: I wrote this chapter several weeks ago and have been debating on whether or not to keep it as is.  After the advice of some great friends, I'm posting it as I originally wrote it.  I have to admit I am a nervous wreck about posting this chapter, so please review and let me know what you think!  Thank you. 

While All Was Still-Chapter Twelve

A feral's sense of smell is sharp and multi-faceted, and Shalimar pushed her nose into Brennan's shoulder, picking apart the layers of scent that rolled off him in waves.  She could not only smell what he had for breakfast, she could tell the different ingredients that were used to prepare the meal.  She skimmed past the clingy smell of Laura's perfume and tightened her fingers on his shoulders as she found Liza in the mix.  She pulled back a moment later.  

"She loves animals."

Brennan's brows shot up.  

Shalimar grinned.  "I can tell from when she hugged you, the scent of different animals is strong on her, especially cats."  

Brennan's hand rested on her cheek for a moment, eyes shining with pride.  "You're amazing, Shal."

Laura let loose a loud snicker.  

Shalimar ignored her, eyes glowing golden and concentrating for a moment before flashing back to normal.  "She's this way."  

They walked for quite a while before stopping in front of a large Great House surrounded by several outbuildings and rolling orchards.  The wind blew strong, and clouds were slowly forming overhead, hinting of a coming storm.  For now, though, the sun still shone through, and pale yellow rays lit up a small sign.  

"A Nature Park?"  Brennan read aloud.  "Why would David bring her here?"

"Maybe he's trying to gain her trust," Shalimar mused out loud.  "What better way than to show her things she loves."  

Brennan nodded, "Animals."  

They strolled through the Great House briefly, but soon passed through to the grounds beyond.  Parrots and macaws battled squirrel monkeys for dominant sound.  The crowd was busy and Shalimar strained to find Liza in the confusion of sight and sound.  Laura sighed impatiently.  

"This is a waste of time!" she complained loudly, "I don't see how this will get me my money.  We don't even know for sure if she's here."   She stamped a delicate foot.  Brennan cringed, wondering how he could ever have found her remotely attractive.  Shalimar sensed his mood and couldn't help but shoot him a smug grin.  

"Why don't we split up?" Laura suggested.  "I'll go this way and-"

"Absolutely not," Brennan interrupted her.  "As painful as it may be, it's still our job to protect you.  We're not splitting up."

"Fine," she huffed, "then let's hurry up and find her."  She gestured at Shalimar, "Well, do your-your thing, you know, track her."  

Shalimar frowned at her then turned back to Brennan, placing a hand on his arm.  "It's hard to tell here, but I did smell cats on Liza.  Maybe they're her favorite." 

Walking past several varieties of fruit trees, they found the large cat enclosure, just as Brennan heard his name being called.  

"Brennan!"  A little voice yelled jubilantly.  

They whipped around in time to see Liza clutching tight to David's hand as he approached.  Shalimar caught Brennan's eyes and nodded toward a group of men roughly flanking around them.  She pushed Laura slightly behind her, but the woman refused to stay.  Instead she elbowed her way back in front and naively approached David, stopping a few feet from him.  

David's eyes stared past her and landed on Shalimar.  "I take it we won't be having drinks tonight after all?" 

She allowed him a small smile in return.  "Sorry, David, I changed my mind."  

His eyes darkened as they focused on Brennan.  "Your loss."  

"I don't think so," she squared her shoulders.  

Liza's head bounced back and forth during the conversation, her little eyes puckered in confusion.  "Brennan, look," she called to him again, tugging on David's hand.  "Daddy came for me.  You did help."  She smiled proudly, lips trembling slightly when no one smiled back.  

Brennan didn't dare take his eyes off the men forming a tight circle as he forced his voice into a light tone.  "That's great, sweetie."

"Why don't you come over here and talk to me?" Shalimar entreated her, stepping closer to Brennan. 

"No!" David clamped a rough hand on her tiny shoulder.  "Stay here."  

Her little eyes drew together as she bit her trembling lip.  "Daddy?"  

"Shut up!" He gritted his teeth, drawing a loud breath through them.  He pulled her back with him and gestured to the group of men.  "I promised you one mutant, and I give you three."  As the group of men closed the gap, forming a complete circle, he laughed.  "Say goodbye to Brennan now, Liza,"  

Shalimar crouched down into a ready squat as Brennan formed a tesla coil.  "Now might be a good time to try out your powers" he called to Laura, who stood frozen in front of them. 

Both groups paused, silent for a moment, and then all sprang into action at once.  Laura whimpered and dropped into a fetal position as fighting broke out around her.  Shalimar flew over her and jump-kicked a man about to strike Laura over the head.  She landed on top of him and quickly framed his head, slamming it into the ground and knocking him unconscious before flipping over his body and launching towards another oncoming figure.  Electricity crackled in the air as Brennan threw coil after coil as fast as he could.  He grunted as fists struck him from behind and dropped to one knee, throwing up his arms to stop the next blow and clamped onto the arm, bracing his feet on the ground and throwing the man over his back.  Another foot came out of nowhere and struck him, and he yelled in anger, whipping around and throwing more electricity.  The fight only lasted a few tense minutes, and when Brennan finally allowed himself to stop, lungs heaving for air, he heard Laura's mewling howl.

"She's gone!" 

He closed his eyes in frustration, bowing his head as Shalimar came rushing up, resting her hands on his chest.

"Brennan, you ok?"

"Yeah," he sighed, hand rubbing the back of his neck, kicking his foot into the dust, "Let's go find her."  

"Sounds good to me," Shalimar's eyes sparkled up at him, still alive from adrenaline, "Let's end this thing."   Together, they turned around and regarded Laura, who hadn't moved from her huddled position, banging her fists in fear and anger on the ground.  Shalimar quirked a brow, "Not so ladylike anymore are we?" she couldn't help but comment as Laura blew disheveled curls out of her dirty face and glared up at her.  

Brennan laughed outright as he bent down to help her up.  "Come on," he grunted, pulling her to her feet, "Let's go."  

Shalimar stalked David with a determination that Brennan recognized as pure feral.  He smirked as David's eyes widened in fear when they rounded upon him and quickly took him down.  He called for back-up on his comlink, and in a little while, Lexa and Jesse were landing the helix behind the park.  

Lexa came running up to them, veering straight towards Laura.  She came to a panting stop in front of her.  "Where's Leo?" she quietly asked, staring her in the eye.

Laura shrugged dismissively, "Like I care."  

"You better care," Lexa's voice remained dangerously calm.  

"I haven't seen him," Laura stared defiantly back.  

"Lexa," Jesse came up behind her.  "You can do this later.  Right now, let's get David and the rest of his group out of here."  He paused as she hesitated.  "Preferably before they all wake up," he prodded.

She sighed and turned back around, following Jesse after a final glance back over her shoulder at Laura.

Liza clung to Brennan, staring curiously at Laura as she came up and kneeled before her.  

"Do you want me to show you the animals?" she alluringly inquired.  

Liza reached toward her face in wonder.  "You have my eyes," she whispered, letting go of Brennan and studying Laura.  

"I do," Laura agreed, visibly shaken for a moment at the similarity.  She took her hand, standing back up, "I'm your real mother."  

Liza smiled shyly at her, and then turned solemnly toward Brennan, tugging a chubby hand on his pant leg.  He knelt back down beside her.  "Brennan help me," she beamed at him in confident faith, "Just like you promised."  His heart melted, and he folded the little girl into his arms.  

Laura tugged on her a moment later.  "Come with mama now," she instructed, eyes softening for a moment as they rested on the girl.  She turned towards Shalimar in triumph.  "A good little girl, and I get the money," she gloated over her shoulder, leading Liza away.  

"Whoa," Brennan soothed, clasping Shalimar's shoulder as she took a step forward.  "There's nothing we can do about that Shal.  She is her mother, regardless of how much we loathe her motives."  

"I hate that woman," Shalimar grumbled, eyes staring at their retreating figures.

"What do you say we get off this island," he wrapped both arms around her waist, nuzzling her neck, "Go back to the ship," he moved up to kiss her ear, "And enjoy the last few days aboard, humm?" he whispered.  

She shivered as his warm breath tickled her ear, twisting in his grasp and twining her arms around his neck, pulling his head down.  "I'd say yes," she murmured against his mouth, nibbling on his bottom lip.

"Yeah, ok, we'll just take care of the bad guys then," Jesse hollered sarcastically after them from where he stood with a glowering David.  

Lexa rolled her eyes as Brennan lifted a hand in acknowledgement before tightening his grip around Shalimar.  "Come on Jess, as usual, it's up to us."   Her complaints trailed away as they herded the group toward town.  

"You know," Shalimar teasingly tugged his lip with her teeth, "For once, this case ended rather anti-climatically."  She released his bottom lip and moved up to the top one.  "No one was hurt, and it all ended fairly easily."  

"Shalimar," Brennan rasped at her, "Stop talking."  He captured her lips in a thorough kiss, moaning as she readily responded.  A hardy gust blew against them, whipping their clothes tight in the wind.  Shalimar shivered as fat drops of rain splattered from darkening clouds, and pulled back with a sudden gasp as the apprehension that had plagued her throughout the week hit her strong in the stomach.  

"Liza," she whispered, eyes huge as she stared up at Brennan.  "We have to find her."  

Puzzled, Brennan nodded, but didn't question her as she tugged him down the path.  Two steps later, a loud reprimand came floating back on the wind.  "And just where do you think you're going?" 

Liza's voice floated trembly back, "I just wanna see the kitty!"

"Not right now you're not.  It's raining, let's go."

Brennan and Shalimar exchanged glances and rounded the corner in time to see the child stomping a tiny foot.  "I wanna go!" 

"I'll take her," Brennan offered as Liza noticed him and lit up.

"No!" Laura whipped around and crossed her arms, stalking back toward them.  "You stay away, she's mine."  

Shalimar's eyes suddenly widened in awareness.  "Liza!" 

But the little girl was gone over the enclosure.

They heard the snarl just seconds before the long, anguished scream.  

"Liza!" Laura cried, lunging for the animal enclosure.  Brennan was off the path and over the fence before he knew it, stumbling in shock as a cougar raced through the enclosure for a wooded area, powerful legs flying.  Liza hung from his mighty jaws, caught between his teeth, her little arms and legs flailing backward, bouncing off stumps and brush.  Laura raced screaming after them, sobbing.  

"Get out of the way," Brennan yelled, charging a tesla coil, sighting a shaking hand at the back of the cougar's skull, clenching his teeth in pain as raindrops clashed with electricity.  He didn't know when he let loose, but the cat somersaulted, landing in a heap ten feet further away.  Liza flew headlong into the ground and was still.  

By the time they got to her, blood pooled the ground.  Brennan fought the others off and lifted the child into his arms and raced back for the path.  

"Somebody!  Get a doctor!"  He cried, wind searing the breath from his lungs.  "Shalimar, help me," he commanded once he reached the path, conscious that a small crowd had formed around them, that another little girl stood gaping by his side, and that his clothes were hot and wet with blood.  He lay Liza on the ground and yanked his shirt over his head, tossing it to Shalimar who placed it under the frail head.  Her throat had been torn open, blood spurted from the jugular.  He set his fingers over the wound, feeling for the vein. 

"Oh God," he moaned.  There, at the base of her jaw, he could feel the feeble hammering.  He pressed down, fingers trembling.  He saw the pathetic little feet, one shoe still on, a bony angle poking out the top, the other foot all bare and blue.  "Shalimar, rub her feet and hands, Oh God," he groaned, shaking when the child's eyes flew open.  

"Mama!" she gurgled.  

"Baby!  Darling!  Mama's here!" Laura fell to her knees beside her, sobs wrenching from her chest.  "I'm sorry, so sorry!  Mama's here now!"

Then a doctor was there, leaning over Brennan, feeling for her pulse.  Gently he probed around Brennan's hand where his fingers still pressed the jugular.  

"No," Brennan whispered when the doctor reached up and folded the child's eyes shut, shaking his head regretfully.

"She's gone."

Laura fell over her child, weeping, screaming.  "I'm sorry, baby, I'm sorry." 

Brennan could not let her go.  Shalimar was there beside him; pulling him away.  Dazed, he looked up into her blanched face.  He could no longer feel hammering under his fingers.  Slowly he released his pressure.  She was dead.  

He let Shalimar lead him down the path a little ways, where he stood retching into the bushes, dripping the little girl's blood from his fingers.  Laura pushed past.  

"Laura?"  But she ran on into the enclosure.  "Laura!"  

Laura did not stop until she came to a heap by the dead animal.  _"No!"_ she cried, face to the raining sky, hands limply at her side, _"My life!  Not hers!  Mine!"_

Brennan did not know he had any strength left, but somehow he reached Laura and pulled the anguished woman into his arms, dropping with her to the ground, knees sinking into the muddy earth   Shalimar came up and knelt down with them, wrapping her arms around them.  The heavens opened and rain came down in pounding sheets, drenching them as they wept into the wet, silent wood.  


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Disclaimer—see Chapter One

A/N: Special thanks to Mari for the idea of this first scene.  Thank you, Mari!  I hope you like what I did with it!!  Thank you everyone for your support and encouragement throughout this story!!  There will be one final chapter after this one!  As always, please review and let me know what you think—good or bad!!  Thank you!!  

While All Was Still—Chapter Thirteen

Lightening streaked across the horizon in threatening fingers of light and sound.  Rain fell heavy from thick clouds that blocked all moonlight and swept across the ship, drenching the deck before rolling off into the churning gray waters of the angry ocean, and thunder crashed repeatedly, breaking through the darkness with a loud and bitter voice.  None of it compared to the hammering of Shalimar's heart as she huddled under her covers in her tiny ship's bed.  She was filled with a sense of dread, and she tossed restlessly, nervously.  She was cold she decided, burrowing deeper under the blankets, shivering until suddenly a flash of heat hit her, and she felt weighed down, suffocated.  Sweat trickled down her forehead and she threw the covers off, panting with exertion.  Lightening flashed against the window in eerie patterns, and she squeezed her eyes shut, wanting to block it out, wanting the whole of the night to go away.  Had it only been that same morning that they left the ship, bidding time by until they could be together again?  Now she would do anything to hold back time; to take back what was lost to the day.  It was with numbness she had supported Brennan and Laura in their shared grief.  It was with numbness she had managed to get them to let go of the tiny body.  It was with numbness she had managed to get Brennan and herself back to the ship just as the last warning whistle blew.  And it was with numbness that she now lay both hot and cold in her unfeeling bed; waiting.  

Brennan blew out a heavy sigh between clenched teeth, glancing at his watch.  His knee bounced impatiently until he remembered with a small smile how Shalimar always stilled him with a small hand on his knee.  _Small hands_. Liza's hands had been so small, and then so blue and cold in the end; he chocked back a sob even as he squeezed his eyes shut, denying emotion.  He sighed again, fingers rapping on the table in front of him.  He had only stopped in to explain Laura and David's absence; it should have only taken a few minutes.  He glanced at his watch again.  He had told Shalimar he would be back by now.  _What was taking the Captain and ship's Officer so long?_  His knee resumed its jittering bounce as he sat; waiting.

Restless energy finally drove her from her bed, and she paced the tiny room, unnerved.  The large hands of the clock loudly ticked each minute by, slowing driving her mad.  Sea spray sloshed mightily against the tiny portal, and she stared across the room to the window, eyes wild at the weather holding her prisoner.  The ship creaked and swayed as thunder rumbled in overlapping waves until resounding in a powerful crash.  Shalimar whimpered, shoving her fist into her mouth to silence the desire to scream; waiting.  

Brennan shoved his chair back, pulling his tired body to a standing position, hands balled into tight fists.  Muscles corded tensed and strained as he hunched over the table, resting on bound fists, feeling the energy rippling just beneath the surface, pulsing in syncopation with the storm outside.  He strained his ears, listening for sounds of footsteps, anything to signal the crewman's return; nothing.  He groaned and shoved away from the table; he hated waiting.  

Her eyes darted around the room in desperation until finally landing on the adjoining door.  _Brennan._   Instinct drove her forward, and she grasped the door handle.  For a moment it stuck, and she panicked, wrenching hard until the hinges popped with a loud groan.  Satisfied, she walked through and found the source of her hunt.  Pulling back thick covers, she slid in with a relieved sigh as his familiar scent encased her senses.  She wrapped her arms around the downy pillow, closed her eyes, and breathed. 

Tired feet shuffled slowly in and then stopped in surprise.  A soft chuckle escaped his lips at the sight of Shalimar curled into a tight ball in the middle of his bed, sound asleep.  He kicked off his shoes and slipped out of his clothes, the bed dipping slightly when he sat down on it.  The whispered movement stirred Shalimar awake even as she sensed him settling on his back beside her, letting his breath out slowly.  She felt his hand curve over her hip and squeeze slightly.

"Shalimar?"

The sound of his tender voice brought a rush of feelings and a flood of tears.  She dug her fingers into the pillow, trying to stifle her sobs.  Brennan turned to her.  Curving his body around hers, he pulled her into him, holding her firmly.  He stroked her long hair back and kissed the curve of her neck.  Her body was like ice, so he pulled her closer, sharing his warmth.  

"Try to sleep," he whispered, "You're exhausted."

She took a long shuddering breath and closed her eyes.  Her head rested back against his chest, and the steady beat of his heart soothed her.  She remained like that for a long time, but for all her exhaustion, sleep would not come.  She drew away and lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling.  The storm flickered in the shadows of the room, slowly losing its intensity to the dark of the night.  

"Do you want to talk about it?" Brennan's eyes watched her.  

"There's nothing to say."

He traced the side of her face.  "Yeah, there is."

She swallowed heavily, fighting emotions she couldn't even fully identify.  "I can't put it into words."  

He curled a strand of her pale hair around his finger and tugged gently.  "Even though we didn't know her very well, she affected us both."  

She sniffed.  "She was just a baby, and we couldn't even help her."  

"We tried, Shal, we tried," his voice cracked.  "She got inside our hearts, and we'll remember her."  

"Yeah," she nodded, thinking, curling her fingers into his.  He startled when she gave a bleak laugh.  "At least David got what he deserved."

"Yeah," he traced her face with one finger again.  "And I think Laura has definitely been affected by this, hopefully for the good."  He leaned over and kissed her shoulder.  "Her staying behind to see to the memorial service speaks volumes." 

"And I hated her." She shuddered.  

Brennan had to smile, "With good reason, Shal, I didn't like her either.  She surprised us both.  And because of our help and one special little girl, maybe we've made a difference in her life."  He kissed her forehead, her eyes, her mouth.  "Just as you've made a difference in my life," he murmured huskily against her lips.  "I need you, Shal, now, always."  

Her tense shoulders relaxed and she turned towards him, touching his hair, drinking in his comfort.  Stroking her cheek with his thumb, he kissed her mouth.  Her lips softened beneath his, and she clutched his shoulders in desperation.  When he raised his mouth from hers, she rested her cheek against his chest.  He felt her body finally relax completely into his.  

"I love you," she whispered, "I love you so much." 

Rolling her beneath him, he kissed her gently at first, then more thoroughly.  She felt a quickening inside her; a soft, warm curling in her stomach, as the uneasiness haunting her all week finally dissipated.  Her arms rose up and stole around his neck, pulling his head down and kissing him, loving his response, loving the way she felt when he took over.  

"I don't think I'll ever get enough of you, Shalimar Fox, not as long as I live," he rasped.

"Nor I of you."  

He cupped her face, drawing her closer yet and filling his lungs with the scent of her, before bending down and kissing her.  She gasped softly, digging her fingers into his hair, slanting her mouth over his in return, body trembling in response to the touch of his hand, the gentle huskiness of his voice, the sense of his growing desire, and of her own.  She could hardly draw breath at his closeness.  The feelings he aroused in her melted away her inside, making her forget everything but the feel of his hands.  He kissed her again, his lips parting, releasing all the passion that had been pent up in him.  She tasted like heaven, and he drank of her until his own desire was nearly too heavy to bear.  

Like a flood, his passion poured over her and carried her with its hot, rushing tide.  She forgot the events of the day.  She forgot her grief.  All her senses focused on Brennan, the sound of his breathing, the feel of his racing heart beating beneath her palms, the strength of his arms around her.  Drowning in sensation, Shalimar forgot it all and clung to Brennan.

Shaken, he drew back and looked at her, his hand cupping the back of her head. "Oh Shal," he said, trying to get his breath, "I thought I knew what love was, I thought I knew everything about it."  He touched her features, loving them, tracing them with his fingers, trying to regain control of his raging emotions.  "But you fill a space in my heart that I didn't even know was empty."

He touched her face tenderly again, loving the feel of her skin and way her eyes softened as she leaned up and kissed him, carrying him away with her.  

Dark clouds fought a losing battle against the soft rays of moonlight, and with a few last rumbles, the storm blew itself out, scattering on the wind.  The seas quieted, and the stillness brought Brennan suddenly awake.  He groaned and scrubbed his hands against his tired face as he glanced at the portal.  Day was soon to break and for now, moonlight streaked through the window in calming tones.  Intrigued, Brennan had the urge to fill his senses with the goodness of the morning.  He gently laid a hand on Shalimar's shoulder.  Her eyes fluttered awake in confusion.

"Brennan?" she yawned in question.

"I want to show you something," he tugged persistently on her shoulder as she tried wiggling back down under the covers.  "Come on, Shal," he pleaded.  "Get up."  

She peered one eye open at him.  "Now?  In the middle of the night?"  It was cold and dark.  She gasped as he scooped her up and set her on her feet.  

Pulling on his pants, he entreated, "Come on, Shal, trust me."  He pulled the quilt from the bed and swung it around her, then found her shoes and held them out to her.  She didn't take them, but squinted up at him.  

"Please?"

She took the shoes.  

He grasped her firmly by the hand and headed out of the room and up towards the upper deck.  

"Where are we going?"  She yawned again.

"You'll see when we get there."  He kept walking, pulling her along with him until they reached the top deck.  

She looked around in confusion.  There was nothing but darkness and fading stars.  Brennan watched as she huddled into the quilt, "There's nothing here."  She sat down, exhausted and shivering from the chilly night air.  

Brennan sat down behind her.  He put his strong legs on either side of her and pulled her back against him.  "Just wait."

She leaned back into his embrace as he put his arms around her. "For what?"

"For morning."

"I could have waited for that back in the cabin," she sleepily complained.

He laughed against her hair.  Lifting it, he kissed the nape of her neck.  'You'll see."  He nuzzled the soft skin beneath her ear.  She shivered softly, and he tucked her more closely against him.  

They were silent for long moments.  The warmth of his body was coming through to Shalimar.  She felt the weight of his arm across her and the solidness of him bracing her back.  She looked at the stars, tiny jewels in the black night.  It was quiet and calm.  Waves lapped softly against the hull and the air smelled thick and salty.  Then the darkness lightened.  

It began slowly, hardly noticeable.  The stars grew smaller and smaller and the night softened.  Before them was light, pale yellow and growing brilliant, gold-streaked with red and orange.  Morning light spilled slowly over the horizon, across the water to the ship, and up its sides.  It was beautiful.  She felt Brennan's strong hands on her shoulders and his lips against her hair.  

"That," he whispered, breath warm against her skin, "That is what I wanted us to see--to remember."  

She reached up and clasped his hand in hers, twining their fingers together.  Sound soon broke out around them as day bustled forward.  Crewman skittered along the deck, unfolding chairs and sweeping away storm debris.  A stereo was cranked and music danced brightly along the breeze.  Footsteps echoed around them, and laughter split the air as children ran scampering by.  And still together they sat, as the sun warmed the air and turned the sea into a sparkle of blue and green; contentedly watching; waiting.  


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Disclaimer—see Chapter One

A/N:  Well, here it is--the final chapter!  I always feel a bit sad when I come to an end of a story, but it feels good to finish at the same time.  Please take a moment to review if you have read this story, it would mean so much to me.  Thank you!

_A/N II:  Thank you so much to everyone who so faithfully reviewed and kept me going.  I couldn't have done it without all your encouragement!!  Thank you to the following: Viviana, Mari, Shallan, Rogue, Blackpanther2288, Fiery Feral, Canadian-Chic14, Jessesgirl11, Redhead2, PeTiTeCaT, Sage360, Puma4, goldstranger, Broceliande, Koala Tangerine, brennan_n_shalimar fan, Irony1, completeopposites, Sunstar2, ItalianchiKE, CatJerica, Shay, Alexa, and to anyone kind enough to review this last chapter—thank you all so very much!_

While All Was Still—Chapter Fourteen

"Come on, Brennan, It'll be fun," Shalimar waggled her brows at his hesitant look.  "Please?" she added, seeing his face reluctantly softening.  She flashed him a triumphant smile before turning back around and leaning against the railing.  The last few days had been wonderfully quiet; they had spent long hours contented in just being together.  Without fear of David or Laura stumbling upon them, the freedom to enjoy the last days aboard ship had been heady, healing.  Her eyes sparkled up at Brennan as calypso music was suddenly replaced with a soft instrumental melody.  Nervous couples lined up clutching sweaty hands together as they stared down the long aisle to the flowery altar and beaming ship's Captain.  The music swelled into the familiar wedding march, and Shalimar grasped Brennan's hand, tugging him along as the first couple in line took their first steps.  

Brennan swallowed apprehensively as his eyes raked across the growing crowds of people and stared down the long white path in front of him.  Shalimar stepped up and wrapped her hand around his arm.  

"Ready?"  She prompted him.  

"Yeah," he nodded, "Let's do this." 

He took a deep breath and took the first step—down.  Shalimar smiled encouragingly at him, and the rest of the steps suddenly became easy.  The climbed down the rest of the way and soon were standing on the dock, looking upon the last island of the trip. 

"Ok, Shal," Brennan winced, "let's get this shopping over with." 

She grinned and tugged him towards the nearest shop flanking the harbor.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay and watch the weddings?" Brennan persisted.  

"Stop it," Shalimar laughed at him, "We're going shopping and that's final.  I want to find the perfect souvenir."

The town was crowded and noisy.  Among the first things Shalimar noticed were the flamingos.  The birds were everywhere, flying overhead, stalking delicately along the piers and street, in riotous hues ranging from peach sorbet to flaming sunset orange.  The open market began right at the end of the wharf.  Shalimar watched as a young woman walked by, carrying a tremendous load of fruit in a wide, shallow basket on her head.  She was an exotic beauty, with large lustrous eyes and wide hips that swayed seductively as she walked.  She cut her eyes to Brennan, giving him an approving once-over, raven winged eyebrows raised invitingly as she passed by.  

Shalimar smacked him.

"I didn't even see her!" he protested.  

Shalimar laughed.  

Everywhere they looked, a smiling islander invited them to buy the fruits, the flowers, the baskets, the jewelry, the hats.  Fragrant bougainvillea scented the air heavily as they strolled along, glancing at the numerous stalls and tiny shops.  After a while, Shalimar noticed the glazed look in Brennan's eyes and knew she needed to make her choice as quickly as possible.  She skimmed another shop full of conch jewelry and then lit up as she finally found the perfect item.  

Shopping done, Brennan smiled broadly at her, "I have an idea."

The tiny cay was only about a mile long and half a mile wide, with blinding white beaches sloping down gently into the shallows.  Palm trees and dun grasses swayed gently in the warm breeze, whispering a magical song just for them.  They walked along around the shore, running in the gentle surf and gathering shells.  When they grew tired and hungry, they returned to their secluded chairs and enjoyed a leisurely picnic.  Hours ticked by and they returned to the water.  Shalimar dove in as Brennan waded out until the aquamarine water was up to his waist; contend to watch as Shalimar swam around.  Finally she broke through the surface, gasping for air and pushing her hair out of her eyes, searching and finding him in the shallows.  He stood there in the blinding sunlight, water droplets glistening on his tanned body, the sun gleaming on the smooth knotted muscles, and Shalimar drew a deep breath at the sight.  He stepped forward and swept her into his arms and carried her to the beach, gently laying her underneath the palm trees.  She encircled her arms around his neck and accepted his warm kiss.  He sank down into her arms for a moment, caressing her warm skin and groaning into her mouth as she deepened the kiss.  Footsteps walking by drew her back to awareness and she reluctantly pulled away, pushing herself to a sitting position with an embarrassed chuckle.  

Brennan grinned and tossed her one of the fluffy white towels they had brought with them.  She tried drying her hair, but it was a hopeless mass of salty curls and tangles, so she decided to leave it for now.  She settled back into Brennan's embrace as he sat back beside her and in contended silence they watched the sun start its descent toward the western horizon.  As they watched, the brilliant tropical sunset colors paled to gentle pastels and then a darkening blue.  

"We should be getting back," Brennan murmured even as he lay back down.  

Shalimar turned so her head was resting on his flat stomach.  "In a minute.  It's so peaceful, so quiet."

"Mm-hm."

"Brennan?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you for going shopping with me."

His stomach muscles clenched as he chuckled, jostling her head in wry amusement; she couldn't help it, she joined in with him.  It felt good to laugh again.  

Leaving the ship was a moment of mixed emotions for them both.  Shalimar was relieved the week was over and was glad to have Brennan back to herself again, but the events of the week had left its toll on them, and it was hard to leave as if nothing had happened.  The haunted look was still faint in Brennan's eyes, and she knew he had nightmares that he didn't talk about.  She clenched tightly to his hand as they descended the plank for the last time, knowing they were leaving a piece of themselves behind.  Jesse picked them up in the helix and before they knew it, they were home again.  

In her room, Shalimar quickly unpacked, shivering in the cool autumn air.  Digging into the bottom of her bag, she smiled as she pulled out the little water fountain she had purchased their last day in the Caribbean and set it up on her nightstand.  She sank onto her bed, sighing as the soothing waters washed over her senses, calming her heart.  

And then Brennan was there, taking her cold cheeks in his hands and looking happily down into her face with a smile, all his love for her there in his eyes. She entwined herself in his fierce embrace and rejoiced in the familiar feel of his body, the firmness, the strength of his arms, the crush of his cheek against hers.  

"I can't believe everything that happened this week," she whispered a few minutes later, pulling back from his embrace and crawling under her thick quilt as he turned off the light.  He climbed in next to her, tangling his legs with hers, to be as close as possible.  

"I'm just glad to be home again."  Gently, he kissed her.  Sweetly, so softly, his cold lips amazingly warming her skin.  

"It doesn't seem real, does it?" she whispered. 

"It was, though." His face drew tight.  

She put a finger to his lips.  When he tried to speak, she shushed him.  "No, Bren, let's not focus on that right now.  Let's pretend there is no world but our own." 

He took her hand away.  "I hear you, Shal, but there is another world.  As much as we want, we can't forget, I can't—"

"Brennan."

"Yeah?"

"You were right before. We have to believe we make a difference." She stared earnestly up at him.

He gazed down at her, a smile slowly growing on his face.  He let go of her hand and traced her lips with his finger.  "You are an amazing woman."

"Why?"  Her forehead wrinkled in question.

"What you just said about making a difference.  That is why we keep doing this.  That is how we get through it all, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I think so.  That is our hope," she thoughtfully cocked her head.  

"Come here." He reached for her.  

"Aren't you glad we're together," she whispered, snuggling up to him again.  

He smiled, tracing her lips again with his finger, and making her shiver.  She leaned up to capture his lips just as a sudden knock on the door startled them.  

_"Shalimar, let me in!"_

"Lexa," groaned Shalimar.  "Brennan, she drives me crazy!"

"You have to admit," he whispered, kissing her mouth quickly, and sneaking another quick kiss, "she's getting better.  At least she didn't barge in this time."

"I don't care, and whatever she wants it can wait until morning."

_"Shalimar, come on, open up!"_ Another knock pounded on the door.  Brennan grunted and pushed himself up.

"Don't go," Shalimar reached to grab his wrist.

"We have to get rid of her," he raised his brows at her.  The minute Brennan cracked the door, Lexa pushed in.  

"Sorry, Shalimar, but I just got word in of a new mission.  Oh and welcome home by the way."

"Thank you." Shaliimar pointedly looked to the door.  "Good night, Lexa."

"Oh alright, never mind." Lexa suddenly grinned, unable to keep up the charade, "Actually, Jesse sent me, to tell you we're leaving for a few days to check out some rumors of mutant activity up north.  We left all the details in the computer for you guys."  

Jesse's head popped in behind her.  "Have fun you two."

Shalimar's brows furrowed.  "You guys are the ones leaving, what are you talking about—" She stopped abruptly, face turning red.  "Oh."

Jesse chuckled and then laughed out loud when he noticed the darkened room.  "You don't waste any time, do you?!"

"Jesse," Brennan's eyes narrowed as he held up one hand, flickering blue flames dancing in the low light.

Jesse chuckled again, pulling Lexa out the door with him.  "_Goodnight!"_ Their combined voices floated merrily back through the closed door. 

Brennan gave the door a good shove and then turned the bolt before jumping back into bed.  "Now where were we?"

"I think," Shalimar laughed at him, "I was asking if you were glad we were together, that we have each other?" 

"Do you have any idea how much I love you, Shal," Brennan smiled at her, eyes darkening with deep emotion.

"I know," Shalimar smiled cheekily back, throwing her arms around his shoulders, loving the feel of his warm breath as he chuckled against her neck.  

Sanctuary's halls hummed with quiet efficiency as water trickled in soothing ebb and flow, rustling against the rocky fountain walls in whispered echoes.  A sleepy arm stretched across a slender waist, entwining fingers together and molding two shapes into one, pulling loved ones together, contented in the cool stillness of the night.  

_"And that night, while all was still, I heard the waters roll slowly, continually up the shores, I heard the hissing rustle of the liquid and sands, as directed to me, whispering, to congratulate me.  For the one I love most lay sleeping by me under the same cover in the cool night, in the stillness, in the autumn moonbeams, his face was inclined toward me, and his arm lay lightly around my breast—and that night I was happy."  --Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass.  _

The End!


End file.
